Knee arthrosis: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Knee arthrosis is a type of severe chronic impairment of this joint, where degeneration, inflammation and laxity of the knee occur, causing symptoms such as:

1. Knee pain after efforts that improves with rest; Stiffness when getting out of bed in the morning or after long periods of rest, which improves after 30 minutes; Presence of crackling or “crackling” Swelling and heat usually in the inflammatory phase Sensation of increased knee size due to the growth of bones around the knee More limited movements, especially stretching the knee fully Difficulty in supporting the leg on the floor Muscles of the thigh weaker and more stunted

In cases of knee arthrosis, it is very common for both knees to be affected, but their symptoms may differ from each other and this is due to the degree of impairment of each joint.

Over time, it is natural for arthrosis to worsen and, therefore, more serious symptoms such as joint deformities and many pains may start to appear, causing the patient to have difficulty walking and a greater tendency to limp.

What can cause this change

The main causes of knee arthrosis can be:

• Natural wear of the joint, which occurs due to age; Being overweight; Direct trauma, such as falling to the knees, for example; Inflammatory disease associated with misuse of the joint.

This problem mainly affects people over 45, but if the individual is very overweight or has some of these risk factors, for example, he may develop osteoarthritis at a young age, around 30 years of age.

People with knee arthrosis may experience more pain during the winter and the pain may arise when the weather changes and rain is coming. Although science is still unable to clarify why this may happen, there are 4 possible explanations for this fact. Find out what they are by clicking here.

How the treatment is done

The treatment for knee arthrosis can be done with painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and food supplements that help restore the joint. In addition, it is important to perform physical therapy and, in the most severe cases, infiltration with corticosteroids or even surgery, which can be an arthroscopy, for example, can be used.

Arthrosis Exercises

Some examples of exercises for knee arthrosis are stretching the leg muscles, which can be done alone by the patient himself or with the help of the physiotherapist, and riding a bicycle. However, it is important that the physiotherapist recommends these exercises, because when performed in the wrong way or when the joint is still very painful, they can aggravate the disease.

See some examples in this video:

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for knee arthrosis should be performed preferably every day, in times of greatest pain. The physiotherapist should evaluate the joint and design the best treatment, respecting the individual's limitations. In the sessions, anti-inflammatory devices, muscle stretching and strengthening exercises can be used.

Surgery

Surgery is indicated when the person does not show improvement in symptoms, continuing with pain, difficulty climbing stairs and lowering, even after months of conventional treatment, with drugs, corticosteroids and physical therapy.

The operation can be done by removing the knee and placing a prosthesis in its place. After that, the person usually recovers completely, but physiotherapy sessions are necessary to speed up the recovery. Know how it is done and how long it takes to recover.

Natural treatment

A good natural treatment for knee arthrosis is to use warm flaxseed poultice on the joint at the end of the day. Just make a bundle with a clean, fine fabric with 3 tablespoons of flax seeds and heat in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes, until it is warm. Then apply to your knees for 10 to 15 minutes.

See an example of a natural remedy at: Home remedy for osteoarthritis.