Methods for the treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint: drugs and physiotherapy, physical therapy

Treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint - complex methods of dealing with degenerative-dystrophic pathology that destroys the joint joint and bone tissue. Doctors - orthopedists and surgeons - use drug therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, recommend physical therapy complexes that relieve the condition, reduce pain and restore mobility to the knee joint. Drug treatment and physical therapy are effective if gonarthrosis is in its early stages. If the disease is neglected, joint replacement surgery is used more often.

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

Knee gonarthrosis therapy

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

Drug

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

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

Drugs for gonarthrosis are divided into:

• pain relievers and anti-inflammatories;
• chondroprotector;
• vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the tablets do not give visible results, they resort to injections that are injected directly into the joint. This procedure is called blocking. For injections, chondroprotectors, anesthetics, corticosteroid hormones, hyaluronic acid are used.

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

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

It is important to know. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as a background treatment. They need to be taken for a long time, from 3 months to six months. You cannot try to replace the pills prescribed by your doctor with cheaper counterparts. They 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 woodlice, nettles and celery. Fresh Woodlice leaves can be used to make salads, which are seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil.

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

1. For 100 g of garlic cloves, 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.

The infusion must be taken 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 a decoction of burdock rhizome:

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

A useful and general tonic for gonarthrosis is a broth boiled from the bones of cattle. The healing effect is provided by gelatin, which is released as a result of prolonged heat treatment.

To prepare the broth, take the 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 meat and cartilage easily separate from the bones. 100 ml of broth should be taken before meals.

Physiotherapy

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

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

In a note. Physiotherapy procedures can be performed at home, using a magnetotherapy device, which allows you to relieve swelling and painful sensations, to stop the inflammatory process.

Hirudotherapy

Alternative medicine methods include leech therapy or hirudotherapy.. . .This treatment of gonarthrosis has many advantages:

• within 3 months, a persistent analgesic effect is achieved, which allows you to cancel drug therapy;
• metabolic processes are stimulated, blood microcirculation in the affected joint area is improved;
• swelling subsides;
• the mobility of the joint joint is restored;
• clots are eliminated, which often form due to the development of gonarthrosis.

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

• dissolve thrombotic compounds, prevent blood clotting;
• lower cholesterol levels;
• break down hyaluronic acid.

In a note. Enzymes such as eglin and kininase can replace non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics.

Special exercises

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

With gonarthrosis, strength exercises, prolonged walking or running are contraindicated. Lessons must be alternated with rest.

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

1. Wobble legs of moderate amplitude. It is best to perform this while sitting on a high chair or table so that the legs are suspended in the air.
2. Without changing position, you can alternately raise your legs, straightening them at the knees, holding the pose for at least 3 seconds.
3. The next exercise is a bicycle. It is performed while lying on the floor. Simulate cycling slowly at first, gradually speeding up the pace and then slowing down again.
4. From a prone position, you need to slowly bend the knee and pull it towards the stomach. Then, gently straighten the bent limb as well until there is tension in the muscles. It is necessary to hold the pose for 8 seconds. Then lower your heel to the floor and slowly straighten your leg, returning to its original position.

A set of therapeutic exercises is suitable for the treatment of gonarthrosis. Consult a physical therapist before charging.

Massage

This method cannot eliminate the disease, but it is able to relieve symptoms, relieve periods of exacerbation, and also increase the effectiveness of physiotherapy and drugs.

Massagewith gonarthrosis:

• relaxes the spasmodic muscles around the affected joint;
• accelerates the healing process;
• It "empties" the toxic substances accumulated in the tissues due to inflammation.

For the treatment of gonarthrosis, the following methods are used:

• Japanese, which acts on the affected areas with the help of punctual physical exertion;
• The Swede uses rubbing, stroking a sore joint with the palms of his hands;
• Finnish, when all kneading movements are done with the thumbs.

The massage includes not only a mechanical action on the affected limb, but also the massage of the lower part of the spine. During the procedure, the person should feel no pain in the damaged joint.

Self-massage at home is allowed. First, you should study the technique for performing massage movements:

• caress;
• rubbing;
• knead;
• touching or showering with your fingers;
• vibration.

Basic rules for the procedure:

1. Self-massage is performed on an empty stomach.
2. It is better if a person takes a hot shower or bath at this time (the water temperature should not exceed 36-38 ° C).
3. The procedure is done in the morning, before 2 pm, because it tones the body.
4. All movements are performed carefully, there should be no marks, bruises on the skin, a person should not experience pain during self-massage.
5. The procedure is started from the larger femoral muscle, moving from the knee joint towards the inguinal crease.
6. At the end of the exposure, it is recommended to bend and straighten the leg several times at the knee.

Important. Before resorting to self-massage, it is necessary to consult an orthopedist.

Disease prevention

Various reasons lead to osteoarthritis:

• excess weight;
• wrong lifestyle;
• excessive physical activity;
• genetic predisposition.

Prevention of gonarthrosis includes various measures, for example, diet, avoiding alcohol and smoking, physical education, which eliminates increased stress on the knee joints. Sports activities for health 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;
• Exercise bike activities that help keep knee joints healthy.

If a person leads an active lifestyle - skating, cycling, skiing, they must take care of protective equipment that helps prevent minor injuries and significant knee injuries. Any physical activity should be moderate and sports activity should be alternated with rest.