Failure of any part of the locomotor organs, especially the knees, leads to disruption of body movements and balance. Pain during movement of the knee joint (during flexion, extension, inner and lateral rotation, rotation, lifting and lowering) can occur under different circumstances and under the influence of different factors. The strength of the pain syndrome, as well as its duration, differs depending on the depth of the lesion, etiology and pathogenesis of the pathology.
<1_img_centerxx>Painful sensations and specific crunches most often occur after physical exertion, trauma or against the background of chronic somatic pathologies. After carrying out medical treatment and eliminating the main cause, which is the source of the pathology, the pain and restrictions in movement disappear. Otherwise, the prognosis is not reassuring: complete or partial paralysis of the organ of movement can lead to lifelong disability.
What can hurt?
The anatomical design of the knee joint has its own characteristics which, to any change, react with pain. The knee joint consists of a bony structure of the femur and tibia as well as the kneecap. The marginal shape of each bone is endowed with condyles, their thickened shape and a certain relief create the conditions for ideal biomechanics, stable body balance in a horizontal position, as well as safe movement with absorption of joint shocks. The bones are strengthened by a special soft tissue plexus.
The muscles, their tendons, which hold the knee joint together, are directed to both the side of the thigh and the side of the leg. On the side of the thigh there is a thin muscle plus a large adductor muscle, as well as the femoral biceps, semitendinosus and semimembranosum. The most powerful muscle in the knee joint structure is the quadriceps, in turn it is divided into 4 muscle heads: straight muscle, lateral broad, medial broad + intermediate broad muscle. The sartorian, thin, adductor, biceps femoris, semi-tendonus + semi-membranous, as well as the triceps muscle of the leg and popliteus are also involved in the creation of the knee joint. Their combined plexus creates firmness, mobility and mobility in the lower limbs.
Warning!Forced violation of the integrity of the joint genus such as rupture, shock, inflammation, destruction or infection leads to the development of pain syndrome with limited motor function.
Within the genus articulatio, that is, the internal space of the joint consists of supraspinatus cartilage tissue, cruciate ligament, menisci and synovial bursa. The blood supply and innervation of the knee joint takes place through many complex plexuses. The sciatic, peroneal, tibial, and peroneal nerves are responsible for the sensitivity of the anterior and medial knee. The posterior part offers tenderness to the tibial nerve with its branches.
The plexuses of nerves and vessels (pulp and non-pulp nerve fibers) enter the menisci along its peripheral part of the cartilage plate and into it. With the trauma of the menisci, an acute pain syndrome develops, since the menisci are quite sensitive. As dystrophic processes develop in the genus of the joint, the pain increases and becomes permanent, and the organ itself loses its functionality as well as the ability to move.
Alarming risk factors and symptoms
Knee pain develops due to certain risk factors involving special conditions associated with the general condition of the body, lifestyle, and harmful environmental factors. The risk group for articulatio-type pathologies accompanied by pain is made up of people with:
- genetic abnormalities;
- abnormalities in the development of cartilage and connective tissue;
- patients with pathologies of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system;
- neurodysfunctions;
- obesity II, III - IV degree;
- diseases of the endocrine glands (thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, acromegaly, adrenal dysfunction);
- pathologies of the kidneys and liver (pyelonephritis, renal failure, urolithiasis, hepatitis B + C);
- allergic reactions to a variety of agents;
- bronchial asthma;
- reactive pathologies of the immune system.
An alarming symptom of pathology of the joint structure of the knee is a cracking noise during biomechanical actions such as flexion, extension or rotation. This symptom indicates the destruction of the joint, that is, a violation of metabolic processes, abrasion of the supraspinous cartilage plate of the distal parts of the bones, as well as thickening of the joint capsules with low productionsynovial fluid. Overweight with excessive stress on the knee joints or constant motor exploitation of the lower extremities gradually destroys the shock-absorbing structure of locomotor organs, leading to destructive processes.
The causes leading to knee osteoarthritis or pain in the knee joints can be divided into three large groups, namely:
- Infectious and inflammatory type.
- Traumatic origin.
- Degenerative-dystrophic causes.
Gonarthrosis (destructive inflammatory arthritis) affects 65 to 70% of patients, out of all patients suffering from joint pathologies. Rheumatoid arthritis ranks second after osteoarthritis and arthritis. The mechanism of the development of pain begins from the moment of damage to the periosteal cartilaginous tissue, ligament plexus, accumulation of fluid in the intra-articular space with leakage in the area of adjacent tissues, as well asdue to a decrease in synovial lubrication, pieces of bone, cartilage tissue, meniscus or other post-traumatic body. Sharp pain appears after pinching the nerve plexus as a result of injury or disproportionate physical exertion.
Inflammatory causes
Most often, inflammation of the kind articulatio (unilateral or bilateral) begins as a result of intense physical exertion, as well as against the background of other pathologies leading to the deposition of salts in the joints or the leaching of Ca + cartilage. . The latter is the trigger of the inflammatory process in the joints of the lower limbs.
Diseases of an inflammatory nature, symptoms:
By eliminating the source of the pathology with drugs or surgical treatment, the functional capacity of the knee joint is restored, and the sharp or aching pain completely disappears. If the inflammatory process attracted larger areas, and the depth of the lesion is large enough, motor function can be partially restored. In some cases, surgical restoration of the joint is performed.
Traumatic causes
Any mechanical injury can lead to knee osteoarthritis. Contusions, compressions, knee bone fractures, open or closed injuries, as well as meniscus rupture plus bursitis, ligament rupture, soft tissue contusion are included in the list of traumatic causes. Chemical and physical exposure can also lead to knee pain. This group of causes includes burns, poisoning with toxic substances.
Causes of a degenerative-dystrophic nature
Several factors can trigger the mechanism of degenerative-dystrophic destruction with partial or irreversible processes in the knees, namely: constant physical activity with heavy lifting, excessive sports, injuries of any etiology. And also a sedentary lifestyle with poor diet, stressful situations. And finally: the aging of the human body with disruption of the normal functioning of all systems and organs.
Pathologies causing degeneration and destruction of the knee joint:
- Arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Sclerotherapy of muscles, ligaments, ligaments, bursae.
- Numerous osteophytes replacing the cartilaginous plate.
- Meniscopathy.
- Metabolic disease.
- Hormonal system dysfunction.
- Heavy metal poisoning of the body.
Instead of abraded cartilage, bare areas appear, i. e. bare bone, which, when the joint moves, creates unbearable pain in the knee. After a while, sharp osteophytes develop in this area. Progressive deformation of the joint with knee osteoarthritis leads to a change in the anatomical configuration of the joint structure and partial or complete paralysis of the motor function of the knee (or knees). Symptoms of destructive knee osteoarthritis are sharp pain and a constant cracking of the knee with swelling of the soft tissues.
Advice!Degenerative-destructive knee osteoarthritis is not treated with folk remedies or an individually invented drug scheme, but only permanently under the strict guidance of doctors. Self-treatment will lead to lifelong disability!
Pathology diagnosis and first aid
The final diagnosis of the pathology is carried out under stationary conditions. Through laboratory and instrumental studies, the causes of pain and the limitation of the biomechanics of the knees are determined. They approach the diagnosis individually, because each case of morbidity has its own source + mechanism of development, therefore, not all patients are suitable for the same studies.
List of diagnostic measures:
- Taking general and biochemical blood tests.
- General urinalysis (if you suspect pyelonephritis and urolithiasis, further urine tests are recommended).
- Perform tests to identify rheumatoid factor.
- X-rays of the knee in three projections.
- CT plus MRI of the articuldtio type in order to identify the degree of damage to bones, cartilage, ligamento-muscular apparatus.
Patients with knee osteoarthritis of unknown etiology are advised to consult the following doctors: traumatologist, arthrologist, rheumatologist and endocrinologist. If a malignant process in the joints is suspected, the patient is referred to an oncologist.
First aid for acute pain in the knee joints is provided at home or in case of injury. Before an ambulance arrives, the joint must be immobilized, that is, fixed with a splint. In addition, intramuscular injection of an analgesic drug plus one of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended. A cold compress should be placed over the inflamed joint and in no way warming or vasodilating. If the injury is open bleeding, apply a tourniquet above the knee to stop the bleeding.
Diseases of other organs, as a cause of knee pain
Pain and impaired functional movements of the knee joints are not only the result of inflammation, osteoarthritis / arthritis or trauma, but a complication of concomitant pathologies. After full medical treatment, the pain may subside or disappear completely, it all depends on the remission of somatic diseases.
The list of diseases of organs and systems that lead to pain in the joint structures of the knee:
- Hepatitis B, C
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes
- Urolithiasis disease
- Bronchial asthma
- Crohn's disease
- Blood disease
- Strokes
The anamnesis, laboratory and instrumental studies help to determine the cause. Each pathology has its own treatment regimen. She is appointed by a doctor after receiving the research results.
Pain varieties
Pain in the defeat of the knee joints is completely different, it depends on the cause, localization, attraction of soft tissues and microbial infection, as well as the degree of destruction of the joint. By nature, painful sensations can be: sharp, stinging, painful. By location: from inside, outside, front, back of the knee joint, as well as above and below the kneecap. By type of spread: the pain is strictly localized or radiating to the thigh or lower leg. By duration: temporary, permanent, variable.
How to get rid of knee pain
Before starting therapeutic therapy, the exact cause of the pathology is found out, after finding out the source, they begin to eliminate it and stabilize the general condition. Therapy consists of a complex of drug therapy, physiotherapy (according to medical indications), exercise therapy, massage and proven folk remedies.
Medication
All strengths of treatment are aimed at eliminating the cause of the pain, and then treating the underlying disease. In parallel, you can use drugs in the form of ointments, gels, local compresses. In the first days of acute pain, it is recommended to administer the drug intravenously or intramuscularly. After calming down, you can switch to oral administration.
The set of therapeutic measures includes:
- Relief of pain in affected joints.
- Eliminates inflammation of the knee.
- Restorative measures of a biomechanical nature, that is to say the motor function of the kind articulatio.
- Treatment of pathology leading to pain in the knees (the treatment regimen is prescribed by the attending physician or highly specialized specialists such as an endocrinologist, hepatologist, allergist, rheumatologist, arthrologist, oncologist).
- Increase the resistance of the body.
- Normalization of metabolism.
- hepatoprotectors.
- Restoration of the periosteal cartilaginous layer and normalization of the production of synovial fluid (use of latest generation chondroprotectors, vitamins B and C, D).
Warning!Obese patients are advised to lose those extra pounds through special diets prescribed by a dietitian. All people, without exception, should reduce the load on the lower extremities by working smoothly.
Therapeutic gymnastics and massage
Constant passive movements of the diseased joint and massage of the inflamed organs of movement in 1 to 1. 5 months will restore the function of the lower extremities. The set of exercises is chosen by the exercise therapy doctor. The massage is done locally only on the joints of the legs or of a general nature. The use of warming, anti-inflammatory or analgesic ointments will improve blood circulation and metabolism. The course of massage procedures depends on the speed of organ recovery. In addition, a special diet is applied to these activities, excluding fried foods, fats, sweets and acids. The nutritionist adjusts the menu by adding gelatin-rich dishes in the form of fractional meals. All procedures of the complex in one treatment will eliminate pain and paralysis of the knee joints.
Folk remedies
Grandmother's techniques in the form of folk recipes can be used alongside drug therapy. All funds are negotiated with the attending physician and are applied locally directly to the affected joint. The effect of folk remedies is aimed at eliminating pain + edema, as well as warming, which in turn improves blood supply, innervation, intensely nourishing the sore knee.
Folk remedies:
- Herbal baths: celandine, chamomile, mint, wormwood + ginseng root. The ingredients are taken on a spoon, poured with boiling water at the rate of 1 liter, then infused for 2-3 minutes. At a tolerable temperature, a foot bath is performed.
- Baking soda compress: a spoonful of baking soda for 1 liter of boiling water. After abundant lubrication of the knee with a fortified cream, a compress is applied overnight.
- Compress of moonshine and grated potatoes: half a kilo of grated potatoes + 0, 5 moonshine. It is recommended to keep one hour. It is repeated 3 to 4 times a week until the pain and swelling disappear.
- Honey coating: 200g of honey + 100ml of vodka + 200g of grated horseradish. He is insisted for a day. Painful joints are rubbed 2-5 times a day.
Patients with an increased reaction to certain herbs or substances should refrain from resorting to traditional medicine.
Prophylaxis
For preventive purposes, so that the lower extremities are healthy until old age, it is recommended to adjust the diet, be careful when traveling, exclude injuries, constantly play sports, swim and walk more often in the fresh air. People over the age of 45 are advised to adjust the hormonal background of sex hormones and eat foods rich in gelatin. Spa treatments are recommended for all patients with musculoskeletal problems. Once every six months, undergo an examination by the attending physician.
Pain in the knee joints occurs spontaneously, it is the result of increased wear and tear of the joint structure, which leads to irreversible consequences. The reasons for the development of pathologies can be both somatic diseases and pathologies of the locomotor system itself. Timely treatment will help to avoid the consequences.