Methods of treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint - drugs and physiotherapy, exercise therapy

Treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint - a complex method of treatment of degenerative-dystrophic pathology that destroys the joint and bone tissue. Doctors - orthopedists and surgeons - use drug therapy, physiotherapy procedures, massage, recommend complex therapy therapies that alleviate the condition, reduce pain and return the knee joint to mobility. Drug treatment and physical therapy are effective if gonarthrosis is at an early stage. If the disease is neglected, joint replacement surgery is most often resorted to.

Methods of traditional and alternative medicine are also widely used, for example, hirudotherapy, sand heating, herbal compresses, Chinese plasters, Tibetan balms. Before resorting to the treatment of gonarthrosis folk remedies, it is necessary to consult a doctor about the appropriateness of the chosen technique.

Therapy of knee gonarthrosis

The choice of therapeutic technique depends on the stage in which the disease is located, other diseases in the patient's history and individual characteristics of the organism.

Medications

The main goals of drugs prescribed for gonarthrosis of the knee joint:

• reduce pain;
• stop the inflammatory process;
• inhibit degenerative changes in the ankle joint;
• restore lost mobility of the knee joint.

Drugs for gonarthrosis are divided into:

• painkillers and anti-inflammatory;
• chondroprotectors;
• vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the tablets do not give visible results, they are resorted to injections that are injected directly into the joint. This procedure is called blockade. Chondroprotectors, anesthetics, corticosteroid hormones, hyaluronic acid are used for injections.

If a patient is diagnosed with grade 1 gonarthrosis, he is prescribed:

1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These tablets have a high frequency of side effects, so they should not be taken for a long time, otherwise erosion and stomach ulcers may occur.
2. Simple analgesics.
3. Ointments with an irritating effect on the skin, which include bee venom, snake venom, chili pepper extract and other preparations.
4. Glucosaminoglycans or chondroprotectors are divided into natural, complex and monopreparations. They reduce pain, restore mobility to the affected joint and inhibit degenerative processes.

It is important to know. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as a background treatment. They must be taken for a long time, from 3 months to six months. You cannot try to replace the tablets prescribed by your doctor with cheaper ones. It may not work, and time will be lost, and the person will develop grade 3 gonarthrosis, which is fraught with serious complications, for example, synovitis.

Traditional methods

Patients with gonarthrosis are advised to eat pine cone, nettle and celery. Fresh cone leaves can be used to prepare salads, seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil.

Nettle can be added to vegetable soups, and you can also make an infusion with garlic and lemon:

1. For 100 g of garlic you need to take 3 medium lemons and 250 g of nettle leaves.
2. Pass all the ingredients through a meat grinder.
3. Pour the resulting mixture with 3 liters of boiling water and leave for a day in a warm place.

You must take the infusion daily. On the first day, limit yourself to 70 ml of product and gradually increase the number of doses up to 3 times a day.

You can make compresses from burdock rhizome decoction:

1. 3 tablespoons of crushed raw materials pour a glass of boiling water.
2. Insist 15 minutes.
3. Take it easy.
4. Moisten gauze in the broth and apply to the affected joint.
5. Wrap the sore spot and leave overnight.

A useful and general tonic for gonarthrosis is boiled beef bone broth. The healing effect is given by gelatin which is released as a result of long-term heat treatment.

To prepare the soup, take beef knees and hooves, put them in a large pot and pour water over them so that they completely cover the bones.

Bring to a boil and simmer until the flesh and cartilage separate easily from the bones. Before a meal you should take 100 ml of broth.

Physiotherapy

If a person is diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 gonarthrosis, the doctor may prescribe various physiotherapeutic procedures:

1. Paraffin applications are heating procedures that prevent the development of degenerative processes in the joint.
2. Plasmolifting, when the drug is injected into the joint cavity based on the patient's own blood. Biologically active substances contained in blood plasma have a healing effect. They cause healing and restoration of the affected bone and muscle structure.
3. Cryotherapy or local exposure to liquid nitrogen at the painful site. The procedure relieves the pain and begins the regeneration of the damaged joint.
4. Laser therapy, which is an effective method that allows you to stop the inflammatory process and stimulate metabolism in a short time.
5. Ultrasound with glucocorticoids, which has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, stops degenerative processes.
6. Healing electrophoresis with anesthetic is the effect of an electric current on the affected joint, which stimulates the penetration of medicinal substances directly into the joint.
7. Shock wave therapy, which acts on the damaged area with low-frequency sound waves, speeds up blood circulation and metabolism in the diseased joint.

On a side note. Physiotherapy procedures can be performed at home, using a magnetic therapy device, which allows you to relieve swelling and painful sensations, stopping the inflammatory process.

Hirudotherapy

Alternative medicine methods include leech therapy or chiropractic.. . .This method of treating gonarthrosis has many advantages:

• within 3 months a lasting analgesic effect is achieved that allows you to cancel drug therapy;
• metabolic processes are stimulated, blood microcirculation in the area of the affected joint is improved;
• the swelling disappears;
• joint mobility is restored;
• clots that are often formed due to the development of gonarthrosis are removed.

Hirudotherapy gives the best results in the initial stages of disease development. The healing effect on the affected area is due to the enzymes that leeches release into the patient's blood after sucking a sore knee. These are chemically active substances that:

• dissolves thrombotic compounds, prevents blood clotting;
• lower cholesterol;
• breaks down hyaluronic acid.

On a side note. Enzymes such as eglin and kininase can replace nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics.

Special exercises

Recreational gymnastics is an effective way to treat pathology that affects the ankle joints. The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen the muscles, which will provide support to the damaged joint and enable it to return to mobility.

In gonarthrosis, strength exercises, prolonged walking or running are contraindicated. Classes must alternate with rest.

The positive effect will be visible if you exercise regularly for at least six months. Approximate set of exercises:

1. Swinging legs with moderate amplitude. It is better to do this sitting on a high chair or table so that your legs hang in the air.
2. Without changing position, you can alternately lift your legs, straightening them at the knees, holding the pose for at least 3 seconds.
3. The next exercise is the bike. It is performed lying on the floor. Initially, simulate riding a bike, gradually accelerating the pace and then slowing down again.
4. From a supine position you need to slowly bend your knee and pull it up to your abdomen. Then also gently straighten the bent limb until there is tension in the muscles. The pose needs to be held for 8 seconds. Then lower your heel to the floor and slowly straighten your leg, returning to the original position.

A set of therapeutic exercises is suitable for the treatment of gonarthrosis. A physiotherapist should be consulted before charging.

Massage

This method cannot get rid of the disease, but it can alleviate symptoms, alleviate periods of exacerbation, and increase the effectiveness of physiotherapy and medications.

Massagewith gonarthrosis:

• relaxes cramping muscles around the affected joint;
• accelerates the healing process;
• It "flushes out" toxic substances accumulated in tissues as a result of inflammation.

The following methods are used to treat gonarthrosis:

• Japanese, which acts on the affected areas with the help of point physical effort;
• Swedish uses rubbing, caressing palms on a sore joint;
• Finnish, when all kneading movements are performed with the thumbs.

The massage includes not only a mechanical action on the affected limb, but also a massage of the lower part of the spine. During the procedure, the person should not feel pain in the damaged joint.

Self-massage at home is allowed. You should first study the technique of performing massage movements:

• ironing;
• rubbing;
• kneading;
• tapping or showering with your fingers;
• vibrations.

Basic rules of procedure:

1. Self-massage is done on an empty stomach.
2. It is better if the person is showering or bathing in warm water at that time (the water temperature should not exceed 36-38 ° C).
3. The procedure is performed in the morning, before 14: 00, because it tones the body.
4. All movements are performed carefully, there should be no traces, bruises on the skin, the person should not feel pain during self-massage.
5. The procedure starts from the largest femoral muscle, moving from the knee joint to the groin.
6. At the end of the exposure, it is recommended to bend and straighten the leg at the knee several times.

Bitan. Before resorting to self-massage, you must consult an orthopedist.

Disease prevention

Various reasons lead to osteoarthritis:

• extra pounds;
• wrong way of life;
• excessive physical activity;
• genetic predisposition.

Prevention of gonarthrosis includes various measures, for example, diet, avoidance of alcohol and smoking, physical education, which removes the increased stress on the knee joints. Sports and health activities include:

• Nordic walking, which uses special equipment, such as ski poles;
• yoga, which increases the flexibility of the joints, speeds up metabolism, has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole;
• Cycling exercises help maintain healthy knee joints.

If a person leads an active lifestyle - rollerblading, cycling, skiing, he must take care of protective equipment that will help prevent micro injuries and significant knee injuries. Every physical activity should be moderate, and sports activities alternate with rest.