Osteoarthritis deformans- a disease associated with degenerative changes (wear and tear) of the cartilaginous tissue, which covers the articular surfaces of the bones and allows free movement of the limbs.
It is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (the incidence of the adult population in different regions of the Earth varies from 13 to 29%). Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) ranks second in developmental frequency, after deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the knee
The mechanism of development of osteoarthritis of the knee is not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, the factors contributing to the development of pathology have been known for a long time. Some of them are inevitable - this is old age, female sex, hereditary predisposition.
The reasons for the development of deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, causing accelerated wear and tear of the cartilage, include:
- obesity (more than 66% of patients with knee osteoarthritis are overweight);
- pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, increasing the load on the joint (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, flat feet, systemic diseases of the joints, etc. );
- increased physical activity, including sport.
In addition, the progression of knee osteoarthritis is facilitated by pathologies that disrupt the metabolism of cartilage tissue (endocrine diseases, gout), as well as circulatory diseases (varicose veins of the lower limbs, atherosclerosis of the arteries of the legs, diabetic angiopathy). Timely and adequate treatment of these diseases will help to preserve the function of the limb for a long time.
Another common cause of knee osteoarthritis is a knee injury. In such cases, the pathology progresses at an unusually rapid rate. 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 rule out intra-articular injuries.
When to see a traumatologist
An orthopedist-traumatologist should be consulted immediately after the onset of the following symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint:
- knee pain is the most persistent symptom;
- cracking sound when moving;
- morning stiffness - as a rule, this is associated with a kind of "starting pain" and disappears after 30 minutes of movement;
- joint dysfunction - feeling of sagging or, on the contrary, pathological stiffness, lameness, etc.
At the MC, experienced orthopedic traumatologists are given appointments, who, after a thorough diagnosis, will select the optimal method of treating the knee joint: surgery or conservative therapy, depending on the specific situation.