Knee joints are one of the most physically loaded joints in our body. As a result, they are often prone to injury and disease. Synovitis of the knee joint is a disease in which as a result of inflammation in the synovial membrane of the joint fluid accumulates. This leads to pain and swelling.
Symptoms of synovitis of the knee joint
Symptoms of the disease, as a rule, appear not earlier than on the second day. They can be:
- pain, usually, noisy character, which can occur continuously or be periodic;
- the size of the joint increases (it can be either slightly swollen or swollen several times);
- The movement of the joint or the leg can be difficult or impossible.
Causes of synovitis of the knee joint
Synovitis of joints is a disease that often occurs as a result of trauma or physical overload. Then it is called a post-traumatic synovitis of the knee joint. This problem is close to athletes, for example, football players, one way or another, may encounter a synovitis of the right or left knee joint. However, not only sports injuries can lead to synovitis:
- the transferred infectious diseases, as a result of which the infection could disappear into the joint tissue;
- infection in the tissue through a cut, abrasion or performed without compliance with sterility standards prick;
- bacteria such as streptococcal and the like can trigger an inflammatory process in the tissues of the joint;
- hemophilia;
- autoimmune reactions in the body;
- metabolic disease;
- arthritis, arthrosis and other similar diseases of the knee joint, because of which there is a constant pressure on the synovial bag.
The latter causes a reactive synovitis of the knee joint.
Treatment of synovitis of the knee joint
If you have a suspicion of a disease that has arisen, contact your doctor. To do this it is necessary in the near future to prevent the disease from progressing. For accurate diagnosis it is necessary to make a puncture from the inflamed joint. This is possible only in a special medical institution. After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor will tell you how to treat the synovitis of the knee joint and will prescribe the appropriate course of medication and physical therapy for you.
Treatment of the disease usually follows the following principle:
- A fixative joint is applied, a tight bandage, a knee joint or a knee brace. The joint needs rest, because physical activity is prohibited. Nevertheless, mobility must be preserved.
- The patient is prescribed a course of non-steroid drugs. In the case of an infectious synovitis, antibiotics are additionally used. In the treatment of chronic synovitis of the knee joint, corticosteroid preparations are prescribed.
- An indispensable condition for treatment is a course of manual therapy or special exercises.
- If medication does not help, then they resort to surgery.
Consequences of synovitis of the knee joint
Consequences of synovitis of the knee joint do not burden you in case you seek help in time. If the disease is completely cured, then the joint will soon return to its original shape. However, sometimes an untreated synovitis can return already in chronic form.
It is very dangerous purulent synovitis, because, leaking in severe form, it gives complications in the form of lack of mobility of the joint, and sometimes even leads to infection of the blood and, accordingly, the inevitable death of the patient. This proves once again how important it is to consult a doctor with the appearance of the first symptoms.