Methods for the treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint - drugs and physiotherapy, training therapy

Treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint - complex methods for the treatment of degenerative-dystrophic pathology that destroys the joint and bone tissue. Doctors - orthopedists and surgeons - use drug therapy, physiotherapy procedures, massage, and training therapy complexes that alleviate the condition, reduce pain, and return to knee mobility. Medication and physiotherapy are effective when you are in the early stages of gonarthrosis. If the disease is neglected, joint replacement surgery is most often resorted to.

Methods of traditional and alternative medicine are also widely used, such as hirudotherapy, warming with sand, herbal compresses, Chinese plasters, Tibetan balms. Before resorting to folk remedies for gonarthrosis, you should consult your doctor about the appropriateness of your chosen technique.

Knee gonarthrosis therapy

The choice of therapeutic technique depends on the stage of localization of the disease, other diseases in the patient's medical history, and the individual characteristics of the organism.

Medicine

The main goals of the drugs prescribed for gonarthrosis of the knee joint are:

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

Medicines for gonarthrosis are divided into:

• analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• chondroprotectors;
• vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the tablets do not give a visible result, an injection is given, which is injected directly into the joint. This procedure is called occlusion. Chondroprotectors, anesthetics, corticosteroid hormones and hyaluronic acid are used for injection.

If the patient is diagnosed with grade 1 gonarthrosis, the following is prescribed:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These tablets have common side effects and should not be taken for long periods of time, otherwise erosion and stomach ulcers may develop in humans.
2. Simple painkillers.
3. Skin irritating ointments including bee venom, snake venom, chili pepper extract and other preparations.
4. Glycosaminoglycans 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 should not try to replace the tablets prescribed by your doctor with cheaper ones. They may not work and time will be lost and the person will develop grade 3 gonarthrosis with serious complications such as arthritis.

Traditional methods

Patients with gonarthrosis are advised to consume mistletoe, nettle and celery. Fresh tree fir leaves can be used to make salads that 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, take 3 medium lemons and 250 g of nettle leaves.
2. All the ingredients are passed through a meat grinder.
3. Pour the resulting mixture into 3 liters of boiling water and leave for a day in a warm place.

The infusion should be taken daily. On the first day, limit yourself to 70 ml and gradually increase the number of doses 3 times a day.

You can make a compress from the broth of the burdock rhizome:

1. 3 tablespoonsPour the crushed ingredients with a glass of boiling water.
2. Insist for 15 minutes.
3. Calm down.
4. Moisten the gauze in the broth and apply to the affected joint.
5. Wrap in the sore spot and leave overnight.

A useful and common tonic for gonarthrosis is broth cooked from bovine bones. The healing effect is provided by gelatin, which is released as a result of prolonged heat treatment.

To make the broth, take the beef knees and hooves, place them in a large pan, and pour water over them so that they completely cover the bones.

Bring to a boil and simmer until the meat and cartilage are easily separated from the bones. Drink 100 ml of broth before meals.

Physiotherapy

If a person is diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 gonarthrosis, your doctor may prescribe a variety of physiotherapy procedures:

1. Paraffin applications are heating processes that prevent the development of degenerative processes in the joint.
2. Plasmolifting is when a drug is injected into the joint cavity based on the patient's own blood. The biologically active substances in the blood plasma have a healing effect. These provoke the healing and restoration of the affected bone and muscle structures.
3. Cryotherapy or local exposure to liquid nitrogen in a sore spot. The procedure relieves pain and initiates the regeneration of the damaged joint.
4. Laser therapy is an effective method that allows you to stop the inflammatory process and stimulate your metabolism in a short time.
5. Ultrasound with an anti-inflammatory and analgesic glucocorticoid stops degenerative processes.
6. Medical electrophoresis with an anesthetic is the effect of an electric current on the affected joint, which facilitates the penetration of the therapeutic substances directly into the joint.
7. Shockwave therapy, which acts on low-frequency sound waves in the injured area and speeds up blood circulation and metabolism in the diseased joint.

For a note. Physiotherapy procedures can also be performed at home using a magnetic therapy device that allows for the relief of swelling and painful sensations, stopping the inflammatory process.

Hirudotherapy

Alternative therapies include leech therapy or hirudotherapy.. . .This gonarthrosis treatment has several benefits:

• A lasting analgesic effect can be achieved within 3 months, allowing the discontinuation of medication;
• stimulate metabolic processes, improve blood microcirculation in the affected joint area;
• the bloating ceases;
• joint mobility is restored;
• blood clots disappear, often due to the development of gonarthrosis.

Hirudotherapy gives the best results in the early stages of the disease. The healing effect of the affected area is due to the enzymes that the leeches are released into the patient’s blood after they have sucked the sore knee. These are chemically active substances:

• dissolves thrombotic compounds, prevents blood clotting;
• lower cholesterol;
• to break down hyaluronic acid.

For a note. Enzymes such as eglin and kininase can replace nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents.

Special exercises

Recreational gymnastics is an effective way to treat pathology involving joint joints. The goal of the exercise is to strengthen the muscles that support the injured joint and allow it to return to mobility.

Gonarthrosis is contraindicated for strength exercises, long walking or running. Hours should be changed at rest.

The positive effect will be noticeable if you exercise regularly for at least six months. Approximate series of exercises:

1. Leg oscillation with moderate amplitude. It is better to do this while sitting in a high chair or table to keep your legs hanging in the air.
2. Without changing the position, you can alternately raise your legs, straighten your knees, holding the pose for at least 3 seconds.
3. The next exercise is a bike. This is done while lying on the floor. It first simulates cycling slowly, gradually accelerating the pace, then slowing down again.
4. From a bent position, slowly bend your knees and pull them to your stomach. Then gently straighten the bent limb until there is tension in the muscles. It is necessary to hold the pose for 8 seconds. Then lower your heels to the floor and slowly straighten your legs, returning to their original position.

A series of therapeutic exercises are suitable for the treatment of gonarthrosis. A physiotherapist should be consulted before recharging.

Massage

This method cannot get rid of the disease, but it can relieve symptoms, alleviate exacerbation periods, and increase the effectiveness of physiotherapy and medications.

Massagewith gonarthrosis:

• relaxes spasmodic muscles around the affected joint;
• accelerates the healing process;
• It "flushes" toxic substances that have accumulated in the tissues as a result of inflammation.

The following methods are used to treat gonarthrosis:

• Japan, which affected the affected areas with six points of physical effort;
• The Swede uses rubbing, stroking the sore joint with the palm of his hand;
• It is Finnish when every kneading movement is performed with your thumb.

Massage involves not only the mechanical action of the affected limb, but also the massage of the lower spine. During the procedure, the person should not experience pain in the injured joint.

Home self-massage is allowed. First, study the technique of massage movements:

• Caress;
• rubbing;
• kneading;
• tap or finger shower;
• vibration.

Basic rules of procedure:

1. Self-massage is performed on an empty stomach.
2. It is better for a person to take a shower or take a hot bath (the water temperature should not exceed 36-38 ° C).
3. The procedure is performed before 14: 00 in the morning because it tones the body.
4. All movements are performed carefully, there should be no marks, bruises on the skin, no person should feel pain during the self-massage.
5. The procedure starts from the largest thigh muscle, moving from the knee joint to the lumbar fold.
6. At the end of the exposure, it is recommended to bend and straighten the leg several times at the knee.

Important. You should consult an orthopedic doctor before resorting to self-massage.

Disease prevention

There can be different causes of arthritis:

• overweight;
• improper lifestyle;
• excessive physical activity;
• genetic predisposition.

The prevention of gonarthrosis includes various measures such as diet, avoidance of alcohol and smoking, physical education, which eliminates the increased stress of the knee joints. Health sports activities include:

• Nordic walking, which uses special equipment such as a ski pole;
• yoga, which increases the flexibility of the joints, speeds up metabolism, has a beneficial effect on the whole body;
• Exercising cycling activities that help preserve the knee joints.

If a person is living an active lifestyle - roller skating, cycling, skiing, he should provide protective equipment to help prevent micro-fractures and significant knee injuries. Any physical activity should be moderate and sports activities should be replaced by rest.