The joints of a person’s lower legs are responsible for the free and active movement of the body in space. Therefore, the appearance of even small problems in the legs leads to significant loss of mobility.
More than half of all joint diseases occur in the knee as one of the largest articular joints that can withstand the load of the entire human body.
The main cause of knee pain
All diseases in which the knee hurts can be divided into several groups depending on the mechanism of joint damage that occurs:
- Inflammatory processes in the joints (arthritis) and periarticular bags (bursitis). With arthritis, the knee joint becomes larger, crunchy when bent. General well -being worsens, body temperature rises. Bursitis is characterized by the presence of a round bulge in the joint area, which is an accumulation of fluid. The cause of inflammatory diseases lies in the penetration of infection into the joints (through wounds, wounds, internal foci of infection).
- Degenerative lesions of the joints - arthrosis. In this case, for a long time there is a gradual destruction of the internal articular surface, excessive growth of bone tissue. As the load on the knee continues to exist, the destroyed joint does not have time to recover and collapse any more. Arthrosis is characterized by the onset of pain, that is, in the morning or after a long rest, the knee hurts when bending and walking. The pain disappears after squatting or other pressure on the joints. Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joint in advanced stages recorded difficulty in climbing and descending stairs, the appearance of pain even at rest.
- Traumatic consequences - intra -articular fractures, bruises, dislocations and sprains. For any type of joint injury, it is advisable to contact a specialist who will decide what to do - paralyze the joint or, conversely, provide a functional load.
Causes of knee joint pain in pregnant women
Knee pain during pregnancy is explained by a sharply increased load on the joints of the lower legs 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 puts excessive pressure on the legs and makes it difficult for the knee joint to function normally.
In the last weeks of pregnancy and during childbirth, there is a strong production of relaxin that softens the articular ligaments. Thanks to relaxin, the ligaments of the pelvic joints are particularly stretched, but other joints, including the knee, can also be affected.
With all these conditions, pregnant women experience pain in the knee joint even at rest and at night. In a few weeks after giving birth, a woman leaves the body with excess water, relaxin production stops, weight decreases, so the discomfort in the knees disappears.
Causes of pain during sports
When running and playing "on foot" sports (volleyball, tennis, soccer), the knee joint experiences greater stress than when walking. The fluid produced in the joint for its normal operation does not have time to form in sufficient quantity, and therefore the friction of the articular surface increases.
With the presence of knee injuries in the past, joint deterioration under the influence of sports can develop rapidly. If after exercising (especially after running or jumping) there is pain in the knee joint, this does not mean you should leave the sport altogether. You just need to reconsider the option to load the knees and replace the sport or exercise set with a softer one for the feet.
Causes of knee pain in children
The most common cause of knee pain in children is an injury that occurs as a result of excessive physical activity. Bruising can be suspected by the appearance of the knee - there are bruises and abrasions on the skin, swelling on the side of the blow.
If a child complains that his knee is sore, infectious arthritis should be excluded, which usually occurs some time after the deterioration of other bacteria (tonsillitis, otitis media, bronchitis) or viral infection. With such arthritis, the joints appear red, swollen, the general condition of the child worsens - body temperature rises, lethargy, drowsiness appear.
Another cause of knee disease in children can be autoimmune arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis). In this case, in addition to the knee, the child will be included in the process of inflammation and the elbow, as well as the small joints of the fingers. This type of arthritis is characterized by the "volatility" of the lesion - in a short time, the inflammation passes from one joint to another.
Treatment and prevention of knee pain
The appointment of treatment for the knee joint should be handled by a specialist who, after examination, will find out why the knee hurts and how to treat the case. Treatment of pain in the knee joint aims to reduce inflammation and degenerative processes. To do this, all patients with pathology in the knee are recommended:
- limit physical load on the joints (including refusing to carry loads, walking up stairs); women are advised not to wear heels, because due to improper weight redistribution, the pressure on the joints increases. In some cases (complex dislocations), it is necessary to completely paralyze the knee with the help of a splint or plaster;
- take a course of chondroprotectors - preparations containing substances necessary for the structure of the joints (chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine). Chondroprotectors are prescribed for oral use in tablet form and externally as part of ointments and gels. In hospitals, this material can also be inserted directly into the knee joint;
- use painkillers, anti-inflammatory (corticosteroid hormones and non-steroidal drugs) and antibacterial agents;
- beyond the stage of deterioration, undergo a course of physiotherapeutic procedures (application of mud, ultrasound treatment and electrophoresis);
- fit the affected joint properly - with the help of therapeutic exercises. One of the best such exercises is the "bike" - in the supine position, mimicking the ride of a bicycle pedal.
- in highly advanced degenerative processes in the joints, surgical knee arthroplasty is preferable.
Treatment of joints with folk remedies
In addition to traditional methods of treating knee pain, folk remedies to relieve inflammation are also effective in many cases:
Lotion with ammonia-camphor solution
Mix half a glass of ammonia (10%solution) with 10 g of camphor alcohol, add 1 liter of salt water (this requires 1 tablespoon of salt per liter), shake until the sediment disappears. Heat the solution to a warm temperature in a water bath, moisten the gauze in it and apply on a sore knee. Top with polyethylene. Keep up to half an hour, 2-3 times a day.
Compressed cabbage leaves
Beat a piece of fresh cabbage leaf with a hammer, sprinkle a little salt so that the cabbage starts to juice. Apply on the knee for a few hours, secure with a bandage. Another variation of this compress is to apply a thin layer of honey on the cabbage leaves, otherwise the procedure is the same.
Cinquefoil colored
100 g of dried stems insist for 3 weeks per 1 liter of vodka. Take orally half an hour before meals, 1 tbsp. l. , diluted in 50 ml of water. Tincture can be applied to a sore knee or made into a lotion.
Ointment from beeswax
A piece of wax the size of a matchbox, egg yolk and honey (1 tbsp. L) Mix everything in a water bath, apply with a swab on aching joints overnight.
Folk methods, as well as therapeutic exercises, must be agreed with the attending physician, because due to ignorance a person can easily endanger himself (for example, when using bee products externally in patients with allergic diseases or when trying to develop dislocated joints with physical exercise).
Prevention of knee joint disease aims to prevent infection from entering it (timely focus treatment of chronic inflammation), reduce the load (fight excess weight, wear fixative bandages) and strengthen the ligaments of the joints and bones (gymnastics, swimming, cycling, drinking foodrich in calcium).
Remember that good and timely knee treatment, as well as prevention of injury and recurrence of joint disease, will allow you to maintain active mobility for many years.