Pain in the knee joint
Pain in the knees — fairly common affliction, caused by various reasons. They can appear as a result of muscle strain, tendinitis of the knee, injuries to the cartilage and ligaments that can be caused by strenuous sports and other activities.
Depending on the lifestyle of the person, the pain may disrupt the normal rhythm. Severe pain able to completely restrict human activities. For the athlete even mild pain in the knee joint can become a hindrance to access to the gym and exercise.
To get rid of knee pain, you need to know the exact cause that causes it.
Ligament injury
Breaks and sprains of the knee ligaments holding the tibia and femur are the most common sports injuries that quite often manifested severe pain. May be injured the medial collateral, anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments. If the ligament is injured, it may need surgical intervention.
Cartilage tear
Covering both sides of the cartilage hard enough, but remaining flexible fabric with two menisci can be injured and cause pain. The medial meniscus covers the inner and lateral outer side of the joint. Therapy "tear of meniscus" entails surgical treatment.
Arthritis of the knee joint
Chronic degenerative disease of the knee joint, causing sharp pain that does not allow a person to fully engage in physical activity. There are three forms of this disease — osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and post-traumatic. Regardless of the form of the disease, he is accompanied by swelling and restricted mobility which can cause pain during knee flexion.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Is an autoimmune disease. It is manifested by inflammation and thickening located around the joint tissues. This form of arthritis occurs in only 10-15 percent of the total number of cases, but the consequences are quite serious. In chronic tissue inflammation cartilage may not only be severely damaged, but also to be completely lost.
Post-traumatic arthritis
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Its development is preceded by a serious knee injury, among which including torn ligaments and broken bones. Such injuries can cause damage to cartilage with the subsequent emergence of pain, swelling, stiffness in the mobility of the knee joint.
Osteoarthritis
One of the most common forms of arthritis of the knee that affects the cartilage that provokes its progressive wear. In the risk group prone to osteoarthritis people, persons fifty and older. This is because with age, the cartilage wears out and erased. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain in the knees, a certain stiffness and limited movement, swelling of joints, weakness and pain.
The reason for the development of osteoarthritis is not only the age, but genetic predisposition, excess weight, past injuries, various infections, diseases such as gout and swelling. To osteoarthritis may lead obtained during sports injuries, and wear and tear of the joints, which occurs during increased physical activity, people engaged in heavy labor, for example, in the construction industry or on production.
How to diagnose
To diagnose disease, make x-rays, interview patient. Doctors ask questions about the degree of mobility and flexibility of joints, how strong are experiencing pain. To find out which form of arthritis the patient is suffering, apply specially designed for this test.
How to treat arthritis of the knee?
With the progression of any form of arthritis pain often begin to grow. Therapies involve weight loss, if there is a diseased excess, performing toning exercises, the use of special elastic bandages, taking anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs such pain medications as acetaminophen.
The operation is usually carried out in patients suffering from osteoarthritis. The same treatment used with other forms of arthritis, if the pain is acute. During the operation, carried out full or partial joint replacement. Surgery is an extreme measure, so it is very important to discuss with your doctor all the possible options. If you have a chance to avoid surgery, they need certainly to use it.