Deforming arthrosis- a disease associated with degenerative changes (wear) of cartilage tissue, which covers the articular surfaces of bones and ensures free movement of limbs.
This is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (the incidence of the adult population in different regions of the Earth ranges from 13 to 29%). Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) ranks second in frequency of development, after deforming arthrosis of the hip joint.
Causes of knee osteoarthritis
The mechanism of development of knee osteoarthritis is still not fully elucidated. However, the factors that contribute to the development of pathology have been known for a long time. Some of them are inevitable - it's age, female gender, hereditary predisposition.
Reasons for the development of deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, which cause accelerated wear of cartilage, include:
- obesity (more than 66% of patients with gonarthrosis are overweight);
- pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, increased load on the joint (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, flat feet, systemic joint diseases, etc. );
- increased physical activity, including sports.
In addition, the progression of gonarthrosis is facilitated by pathologies that disrupt the metabolism of cartilage tissue (endocrine diseases, gout), as well as circulatory diseases (varicose veins of the lower extremities, atherosclerosis of the arteries of the legs, diabetic angiopathy). Timely and adequate therapy of these diseases will help preserve the function of the extremities for a long time.
Another common cause of gonarthrosis is a knee injury. In such cases, the pathology progresses at an unusually fast pace. Therefore, we advise all patients who have suffered a knee injury to be examined in a timely manner and, if necessary, undergo arthroscopy of the knee joint to remove intra-articular injuries.
When to visit a traumatologist
An orthopedist-traumatologist should be consulted immediately after the following symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee:
- knee pain is the most persistent symptom;
- crunch when moving;
- morning stiffness - usually combined with some kind of "initial pain" and disappears after 30 minutes of movement;
- joint dysfunction - a feeling of relaxation or pathological stiffness, lameness, etc.
At the MC they receive experienced orthopedic traumatologists who, after a thorough diagnosis, will choose the optimal method of treatment of the knee joint: surgery or conservative therapy, depending on the specific situation.