The knee joint is one of the most complex joints in the human body.Systematic loads cause every person to experience dull, aching or sharp, and sometimes unbearable joint pain at least once in their life.It can occur when walking and moving the knee, and it can also be a constant concern.The nature of pain in the knee joint and the sources of its occurrence are very diverse.
The structure of the knee joint
As the largest joint element in the human body, the knee joint is constantly subject to sports injuries.Bones, cartilages, tendons, ligaments, meniscus and periarticular capsules - if these parts are injured, they will certainly create pain in the knee.
The composition of the bones of the knee joint includes:
- lower leg (tibia).This is the main weight-bearing bone associated with the lower part of the femur;
- thigh bone (femur), which is the longest and strongest bone and is connected to the kneecap and tibia;
- patella, which is located at the bottom of the thigh.Together with the femur, it forms the patellofemoral joint.
The junction of the femoral notch and the knee cap contains cartilage, which allows these bones to maintain a healthy state of motion relative to each other, eliminating friction and pain in the knee.
The muscles of the knee joint include the muscles of the back of the thigh and the quadriceps muscle:
- The group of muscles of the posterior femoral surface consists of four heads located in its front part.These are rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius.They are attached to the joint by tendons.Contractions of the quadriceps muscle extend the lower leg and straighten the leg.
- The group of muscles of the posterior femoral surface consists of three muscles, the contraction of which contributes to the flexion of the lower leg.These are the biceps, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles.
There are two main types of cartilage in the knee joint:
- Hyaline cartilage promotes less friction because it is strong and flexible.
- The medial and lateral menisci are cartilaginous structures that act as "air cushions" that provide cushioning between the bones in contact.
The knee joint includes ligaments in the form of fibers made up of connective tissue.
Ligaments connect bones to each other:
- The tibia and femur are connected by the anterior cruciate ligament.It helps prevent the tibia from moving forward relative to the femur.
- The role of the posterior cruciate ligament is to prevent posterior movement of the tibia relative to the femur.
- On the outside of the knee is the external collateral ligament.Connects the fibula and femur and helps limit force and stabilize the knee joint.
- The inner lower edge of the femur is connected to the upper inner edge of the tibia by the internal collateral ligament, which stabilizes the joint and prevents unwanted movements.
Tendons attach muscles to bones.
Tendons are divided into the following types:
- On the back of the knee joint are the tendons of the hamstring muscles.
- The quadriceps tendons are attached to the top of the cup.
- The lower part of the kneecap is attached to the top of the tibia through the hamstring.
The nature of the pain depends on the location
Pathological changes in the joint directly depend on the localization of the pain.Pain, as an indicator, signals discomfort and changes in the joint.
namely:
- with arthritis, acute bursitis, rupture of the meniscus, severe pain occurs;
- with initial bursitis and synovitis - tolerable but constant pain;
- gonarthrosis and arthrosis are accompanied by pinching pain;
- with degenerative arthrosis with joint deformation - vibrating pain;
- with bone tuberculosis and damage to the sciatic nerve, the pain is acute;
- meniscus injuries, osteoporosis, inflammation of the synovial bursa are accompanied by burning pain in the knee joint;
- inflammation in the tendons and muscle tissue of the joint causes spasms;
- when the nerve roots are damaged, shooting pain occurs.
Causes of pain in the knee joint
Medical statistics show that knee pain syndrome is caused by the presence of an inflammatory process in the knee.
The sources can be very different:
- 50% of painful conditions are associated with arthrosis, due to which the hyaline cartilage is slowly destroyed.Sometimes the disease is asymptomatic, worsening only in the second stage.Due to the growth of osteophytes and their influence on the nerves in the joint, unpleasant sensations may appear.
- Often the joint can be affected by arthritis, both as an independent disease and as a complication in the form of rheumatism and arthrosis.Arthritis is characterized by severe pain, swelling and redness of the knee.
- Pain can occur in osteochondritis, when joint cartilage becomes inflamed as a result of degenerative arthrosis or mechanical trauma.
- The result of obesity is often periarthritis, which affects the tendons, muscles, and sometimes the mucous membrane of the joint.The disease is accompanied by pain.
- In bursitis, inflammation of the synovial capsule occurs due to injury or complications of other diseases of the knee joint.
- In chondromatosis, nodules form in the area of hyaline cartilage, which then spread throughout the joint.Soft tissues with a huge number of nerve cells are compressed and pain occurs.
- Pain can occur with cellulite if the foci of other accompanying diseases (purulent arthritis, soft tissue abscess) are located near the fatty tissue under the skin.
- In dermatitis, there is damage to the epidermis as a result of eczema, erysipelas, allergic reactions and psoriasis.
- Synovitis is characterized by damage to the joint capsule as a result of chronic pathological changes.This disease develops in elderly people over the age of fifty-five.At a young age, the disease can occur as a result of severe injuries.
- The pain is caused by osteomyelitis, which is characterized by bacterial inflammation of the bone marrow.The disease can be a consequence of complications during operations or open injuries.
What to do if your knee joint hurts a lot
After determining the cause of pain in the joints, it is necessary to start treating the pathology.The most effective treatment is medication, because conservative therapy can help with the occurrence of destructive changes in the body.If you do not consult a doctor in time, you must resort to surgical intervention.
Often knee pain starts suddenly, and a person does not know how to behave in such a situation.If it is not possible to contact a specialist immediately, it is necessary to take immediate measures to relieve pain and swelling.
What activities will help with this:
- it is necessary to stop any activity, lie down with a pillow under the knees;
- for swelling, you need to use cold compresses (ice, cold objects) for 15-20 minutes 4-5 times a day;
- If two days have passed after the treatment and the pain has significantly decreased, you can start exercises to restore the flexibility of the joints.A short massage (5-10 minutes) is possible;
- to combat pain after a blow to the knee, you need to wrap it lightly with an elastic bandage (or use a knee brace) to maintain the integrity of the parts of the joint;
- Even if you overcome the pain a few weeks after the injury, you must carefully treat the injured limb, move less and give up vigorous activity.
To relieve pain in the knee joint, you can switch to conservative treatment.The most common drugs recommended by doctors are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of gels, ointments and tablets.
Conservative treatment is often supplemented with physiotherapeutic procedures.It is very effective manual therapy, with the help of which damage to ligaments, meniscus and arthrosis can be cured in the initial stages.
In cases where conservative treatment of the knee joint is impossible, experts recommend surgical intervention.Torn ligaments, meniscus, fractures - such injuries are repaired with the help of serious operations.
Diagnostics
Early diagnosis enables successful treatment of knee joint diseases and eliminates the risk of developing serious processes.An initial consultation with a therapist will help determine the direction of examination and referral to a specialist.
Pain sensations are studied in several directions:
- In surgery.CT, MRI, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, blood analysis for the presence of rheumatoid factor, puncture of the hyaline cartilage of the knee joint are used.
- In traumatology.The examination is organized with the help of X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and biopsy of fluid in the synovial bursa.
- In rheumatology.General laboratory tests are carried out in the form of a blood test for the presence of rheumatoid proteins, hematology and uric acid levels.DNA testing is used.
- In psychiatry and neurology.Ultrasound allows you to diagnose pinched muscles and nerves.In the case of so-called somatic pain in patients with mental disorders, a special examination is prescribed for the existence of a mental illness.
Treatment of diseases of the knee joints
Folk remedies
You can turn to traditional medicine after an accurate diagnosis and be sure to consult your doctor.It is impossible to completely cure diseases of the knee joint with traditional methods, but traditional medicine will help relieve pain and inflammation, and can also act as a maintenance therapy.
Rubbing and ointments are considered effective folk remedies:
- yolk fat.Egg yolks are ground together with a spoonful of turpentine and a spoonful of apple cider vinegar.It helps relieve pain and inflammation in the joints;
- 300 g of horse chestnut kernels are crushed and put in a bottle of vodka.This mixture is infused for two weeks (it is necessary to alternately shake the infusion).
It is used for rubbing before going to bed.Knee joints are treated and bandaged.
Medicinal herbs and vegetables are used for this type of treatment:
- Thoroughly wash 7-8 burdock leaves, dry, fold and press with a bowl of boiling water to release medicinal phytoncides.Then put the burnt leaves on the knee that you previously smeared with vegetable oil, wrap in transparent foil and cover with cheesecloth or a soft cloth.The compress is kept for several hours.
- Peel the raw potato tubers, grate them coarsely and heat them a little in a water bath.Put the puree in a natural cloth bag.The bag is placed on the knee and left overnight.The treatment is carried out within a week.Do not forget to prepare new contents of the bag every day.
- Celandine is used to relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process in the knee.It is necessary to soak the linen fabric well with the juice of the plant, wrap it around the knee and cover it with a film.The compress should be kept for about 50 minutes, after which the knee should be treated with sunflower oil.The weekly procedure must be performed three times with breaks of 10 days.
Traditional medicine
Diseases of the knee joint have many common manifestations in the form of long-term pain, difficulty in movement, swelling, deformation and inflammation of the knee.Arthritis, arthrosis and bursitis are characterized by inflammatory processes and swelling of the knee joint, often accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
Arthritis and arthrosis are treated using anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs.During the course of therapy, a prerequisite is the normalization of metabolism and the removal of salt with the help of a series of drugs, as well as the establishment of an optimal acid-base balance.When treating arthritis and arthrosis, you must follow the instructions of the experts in order to achieve sustainable positive dynamics.
The treatment of tendonitis and bursitis is focused on anti-inflammatory therapy and creating rest of the affected limb.In order to eliminate the pain, a puncture of the joint capsule is performed to remove the accumulated fluid and administer antibiotics.In severe cases, surgery is indicated.
Therapeutic measures for dystrophic lesions of the knee joint (meniscopathy, tendinopathy, chondropathy) are aimed at alleviating knee pain, treating and restoring healthy joint functions.But even in this case, if there is no therapeutic effect, surgery is prescribed.
Preventive measures
Prevention of diseases of the knee joint allows to avoid wear, injuries, inflammation, helps to maintain health and protect against complications.Effectively organized preventive measures help prevent pain and inflammatory processes and prevent the development of diseases.
What measures should be taken to protect against knee joint disease:
- follow safety rules to avoid knee injuries;
- properly dose physical activity;
- maintain a normal body weight;
- pay attention to diet and fluid intake;
- timely fight against infections;
- consult a specialist in time for the treatment of joint diseases.
If there is a systemic disease that affects the functioning of the knee joint, the most optimal preventive measure will be its timely and adequate treatment.Only in this way can destructive processes in joint tissues be prevented.With complex therapy of knee joint diseases, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and other therapeutic and health technologies, as well as proper nutrition and physical activity, it is possible to ensure the healthy functioning of the joints and reliably ensure the joy of movement and an active, fulfilling life.