Pain in the knee can be taken by surprise: dislocations, bruises and other injuries immediately make themselves felt. But if the pain in the patella appeared long ago and does not go away, increasing with every day, the reason for this may be gonarthrosis - that is, arthrosis of the knee joint, the present article is devoted to the symptoms of this disease.
What is gonarthrosis?
Acute arthrosis of the knee joint is called a degenerative-dystrophic disease, the nature of which is non-inflammatory. This affects the knee joints (one or both): the articular cartilage is destroyed, and the knees gradually stop coping with the usual physical stress.
Among all types of arthrosis is gonarthrosis is recorded by doctors most often, and among the patients women predominate over 40 years. To a special group of risk are full ladies suffering from obesity with varicose veins.
The causes of arthrosis of the knee joint
The disease is classified into two forms:
- primary, provoked by an inborn defect in the development of the knee joint;
- Secondary, caused by trauma or internal diseases.
Therefore, in the first case, the causes of arthrosis of the knee joint lie in the genetic predisposition. There is such a form of gonarthrosis already in childhood.
The secondary form may be due to:
- operations on the knee (removal of the meniscus, for example);
- traumas (dislocations, bruises, fractures can cause posttraumatic arthrosis of the knee joint due to damage to bones and cartilage);
- extremely high physical activity (professional sports);
- arthritis (inflammation of the joint) with the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity;
- deposition of salts due to disturbance of metabolic processes;
- obesity and, as a result, excessive strain on the knees.
There are four degrees of severity of gonarthrosis - each is characterized by a certain symptomatology.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint 1 degree
The first stage of the development of the disease can last several years, making itself felt by the rare, insignificant pain accompanying the rise in the morning from the bed, descent and climbing the stairs, vigorous walking. Externally, the joints look healthy, not deformed. In rare cases, there is a slight swelling.
It is worth noting that the signs of arthrosis of the knee joint are not manifested in one day. If earlier knees did not disturb at all, and now suddenly hurt - most likely gonarthrosis has nothing to do with it.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of 2 degrees
In the second stage, knee pains acquire a pronounced character and appear during any, even not too intense exercise (walking, lifting weights) or after it. In this case, joint movements are accompanied by a characteristic crunch - as gonarthrosis develops, it becomes more distinct. The patient becomes difficult to bend the knee to the stop, the joints begin to deform,
These symptoms are accompanied by a synovitis - the pathological fluid begins to accumulate in the joint cavity.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of 3 degrees
At the third stage gonarthrosis is accompanied by very severe pain, which does not give rest even when a person does not move. It is difficult for the patient to take a comfortable position, which is why the sleep is disturbed. If in addition to arthrosis there is a violation of blood circulation, at night and to weather changes the joints begin to "twist". The mobility of the knees is reduced to a minimum, bending the legs becomes very difficult. Joints in this case are deformed much more noticeably: sometimes, due to this, the legs can take an X or O-shape.
The extreme form of gonarthrosis is accompanied by unbearable pains, which can be relieved of by the patient solely by replacing the joint with an endoprosthesis.