The joints of the lower extremities of man are responsible for the free and active movement of the body in space. Therefore, the appearance of minor foot problems leads to a noticeable loss of mobility.
More than half of joint diseases occur in the knee as one of the largest joint joints that can withstand the stress of the entire human body.
The main causes of knee pain
All diseases in which the knee hurts can be divided into several groups depending on the predominant mechanism of joint damage:
- Inflammatory processes in the joint (arthritis) and periarticular sac (bursitis). In the case of arthritis, the size of the knee joints increases and they collapse when bent. General well-being deteriorates and body temperature rises. Bursitis is characterized by a rounded protrusion in the area of the joint, which is an accumulation of fluid. The cause of inflammatory diseases lies in the fact that the infection penetrates the joint (through wounds, cuts, internal foci of infection).
- Degenerative changes in the joint - arthrosis. In this case, the gradual destruction of the internal joint surfaces and the excessive growth of the bone tissue occur for a long time. As the load on the knee persists, the destroyed joint has no time to recover and collapses even more. Arthrosis is characterized by pain that starts, i. e. in the morning or after a long rest, the knee hurts when bending and walking. The pain goes away after squatting or other joint exertion. Patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee experience difficulty climbing and descending the stairs, even at rest.
- Traumatic consequences - intra-articular fractures, bruises, dislocations and sprains. In the case of any joint injury, it is advisable to consult a specialist who will decide what to do - fix the joint or, conversely, give it a functional load.
Causes of knee pain in pregnant women
Knee pain during pregnancy is explained by a sharp increase in the load on the joints of the lower extremities due to weight gain due to the uterus, fetus, and amniotic fluid. In addition, in the last trimester, many people experience abnormal fluid retention (edema) and weight gain, which also causes excessive pressure on the legs and makes it difficult for the knee joints to function normally.
During the last weeks of pregnancy and during childbirth, there is a strong production of relaxin substances that soften the ligaments of the joints. Due to relaxins, the ligaments of the pelvic joints are stretched, but other joints, including the knee, may be affected.
Under all these conditions, the knee joints of pregnant women are painful even at rest and at night. Within a few weeks after giving birth, a woman leaves the body with excess water, the production of relaxins stops, the weight is reduced, and the discomfort in the knee disappears.
Causes of pain during exercise
During running and "foot" sports (volleyball, tennis, soccer), the knee joint is much more stressed than when walking.
In the case of previous knee injuries, sports can cause joint degeneration to progress rapidly. If you experience pain in your knee joint after a workout (especially after running or jumping), that doesn’t mean you have to give up the sport altogether. You just have to think about the possibilities of knee strain and change the sport or exercises to a gentler one for the legs.
Causes of knee pain in children
The most common cause of knee pain in children is injury due to excessive physical activity. The appearance of the knee may be suspected - there are bruises and abrasions on the skin, swelling on the side of the blow.
If a child complains of knee pain, infectious arthritis, which usually occurs after an exacerbation of another bacterial (tonsillitis, otitis media) or viral infection, should be ruled out. In the case of such arthritis, the joint appears red and swollen, the general condition of the child deteriorates - the body temperature rises, lethargy and drowsiness occur.
Another cause of knee disease in children is autoimmune arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis). In this case, in addition to the knees, the child is also involved in the inflammatory process and in the elbows and small joints of the fingers. This type of arthritis is characterized by the "volatility" of the lesion - within a short time, the inflammation passes from one joint to another.
Treatment and prevention of knee pain
The appointment of the knee joint should be made by a specialist who will find out after the examination why the knee hurts and how to treat this case. The treatment of knee pain aims to reduce inflammation and degenerative processes. To do this, it is recommended for all patients with knee pathology:
- limits the physical exertion of the joint (including refusing to carry weights, walking up stairs); women are advised not to wear high heels because improper redistribution of body weight increases the pressure on the joints. In some cases (complex dislocations) it is necessary to fix the knee completely with a splint or plaster;
- take a chondroprotector course - preparations containing substances necessary for the structure of the joints (chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine). Chondroprotectors are prescribed both orally in the form of tablets and externally as part of ointments and gels. In a hospital, these substances can also be delivered directly to the knee joint;
- use of analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs (corticosteroid hormones and non-steroidal drugs) and antibacterial agents;
- be subjected to physiotherapy procedures (sludge treatment, ultrasound and electrophoresis) outside the exacerbation phase;
- load the affected joint correctly - with the help of therapeutic exercises. One such best practice is to mimic the pedals of a bicycle in a "bike" lying position.
- in highly advanced joint degenerative processes, surgical knee surgery is preferred.
Treatment of joints with folk remedies
In addition to traditional methods of treating painful knees, folk remedies to relieve inflammation are also effective in many cases:
Lotions with ammonia-camphor solution
Mix half a glass of ammonia (10% solution) with 10 g of camphor alcohol, add 1 liter of salt water (1 tablespoon of salt per liter) and shake until the precipitate disappears. Warm the solution to a warm temperature in a water bath, moisten the gauze and apply to the sore knee. Top with polyethylene. Hold for up to half an hour, 2-3 times a day.
Cabbage leaf wrap
Beat a fresh cabbage leaf with a hammer, sprinkle with light salt to start the cabbage juice. Apply to the knee for several hours, secure with a bandage. Another variation of this compress is to apply a thin layer of honey to a cabbage leaf, otherwise the procedure is the same.
Tincture of cinquefoil
100 g of dry stem sticks to 1 liter of vodka for 3 weeks. Half an hour before a meal orally, 1 tbsp. l. , Diluted with 50 ml of water. The tincture can be rubbed into the sore knee or used to make creams.
Ointment made of beeswax
Match a piece of wax, a yolk and honey (1 tablespoon L) Mix everything in a water bath, apply overnight with a chopstick to the sore joint.
Folk methods as well as therapeutic practices should be discussed with the treating physician because ignorance can easily harm oneself (e. g. , the use of beekeeping products externally in a patient with an allergic disease or when attempting to develop joint displacement through physical exercise).
The prevention of diseases of the knee joints is aimed at preventing the entry of the infection (timely treatment of chronic inflammatory foci), reducing the load (fighting overweight, wearing fixative bandages) and strengthening the ligament apparatus of the joints and bones (gymnastics, swimming, cycling, drinking, calciumconsumption of rich foods).
Keep in mind that proper and timely treatment of the knee and prevention of recurrence of injuries and joint diseases will allow you to maintain active mobility for many years to come.