The joints of a person’s lower extremities are responsible for the free and active movement of the body in space. Therefore, the appearance of even minor problems in the legs leads to a noticeable loss of mobility.
More than half of all joint diseases occur in the knee as one of the largest joint joints that can withstand the load of the entire human body.
The main causes of knee pain
All diseases in which knee pain can be divided into several groups depending on the predominant mechanism of joint damage:
- Inflammatory processes in the joint (arthritis) and periarticular sac (bursitis). In arthritis, the knee joints increase in size, crunching when bent. The general condition is deteriorating, body temperature is rising. Bursitis is characterized by the presence of a rounded protrusion in the area of the joint, which is an accumulation of fluid. The cause of inflammatory diseases lies in the penetration of the infection into the joint (through wounds, cuts, foci of internal infection).
- Degenerative joint lesions - arthrosis. In this case, for a long time there is a gradual destruction of the internal joint surfaces, excessive growth of bone tissue. Since the load on the knee still exists, the destroyed joint does not have time to recover and collapses even more. Osteoarthritis is characterized by initial pain, ie in the morning or after a long rest, the knees hurt when bending and walking. The pain disappears after squats or other loads on the joint. Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joints in an advanced stage notice difficulties in climbing and descending stairs, the appearance of pain even at rest.
- Traumatic consequences - intra-articular fractures, bruises, dislocations and sprains. For any type of joint injury, it is advisable to contact a specialist who will decide what to do - immobilize the joint or, conversely, give it a functional load.
Causes of pain in the knee joints in pregnant women
Knee pain during pregnancy is explained by a sudden increased load on the joints of the lower extremities due to weight gain due to uterus, fetus and amniotic fluid. In addition, in the last trimester, many people experience abnormal fluid retention (edema) and weight gain, which also creates excessive pressure on the legs and impedes the normal functioning of the knee joints.
In the last weeks of pregnancy and during childbirth, there is a strong creation of relaxin substances that soften the joint ligaments. Thanks to relaxins, the ligaments of the pelvic joints are primarily stretched, but other joints, including the knees, can also be affected.
With all these conditions, pregnant women have pain in the knee joints even at rest and at night. Within a few weeks after giving birth, the woman leaves the body with excess water, the production of relaxin stops, the weight decreases, and the discomfort in the knees disappears.
Causes of pain during sports
When running and playing sports "on your feet" (volleyball, tennis, football), the knee joint experiences much greater stress than when walking. The fluid produced in the joint for its normal work does not have time to form in sufficient quantities, so friction increasesarticular surfaces.
In the presence of knee injuries in the past, joint degradation under the influence of sports can progress rapidly. If there is pain in the knee joint after training (especially after running or jumping), it does not mean that you have to give up sports completely. It is only necessary to reconsider the possibilities of knee loading and replace the sport or set of exercises with milder ones for the legs.
Causes of knee pain in children
The most common cause of knee pain in a child is an injury caused by excessive physical activity. Bruises can be suspected by the appearance of the knee - there are bruises and scratches on the skin, swelling on the side of the blow.
If a child complains of knee pain, infectious arthritis should be ruled out, which usually occurs some time after the exacerbation of another bacterial (tonsillitis, otitis media, bronchitis) or viral infection. With such arthritis, the joint looks red, swollen, the general condition of the child worsens - body temperature rises, lethargy occurs, drowsiness.
Another cause of knee disease in children can be autoimmune arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis). In this case, in addition to the knees, the child will be involved in the inflammatory process and elbows, as well as small finger joints. This type of arthritis is characterized by the "volatility" of the lesion - in a short time the inflammation spreads from one joint to another.
Treatment and prevention of knee pain
Determining the treatment of the knee joint should be done by a specialist who will find out after the examination why the knee hurts and how to treat this case. Treatment of pain in the knee joints aims to reduce inflammatory and degenerative processes. To do this, all patients with knee pathology are recommended to:
- limit physical strain on the wrist (including refusing to carry weights, walking up stairs); women are advised not to wear heels, as improper redistribution of body weight increases the pressure on the joints. In some cases (complex dislocations) it is necessary to completely immobilize the knee with the help of a splint or plaster;
- take a course of chondroprotectors - preparations that contain substances necessary for the structure of the joints (chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine). Chondroprotectors are prescribed both for oral administration in the form of tablets and for external use as part of ointments and gels. In the hospital, it is also possible to introduce these substances directly into the knee joint;
- use painkillers, anti-inflammatory (corticosteroid hormones and nonsteroidal drugs) and antibacterial agents;
- outside the exacerbation stage, undergo a course of physiotherapeutic procedures (mud applications, ultrasound and electrophoresis treatment);
- properly load the affected joint - with the help of therapeutic exercises. One of the best such exercises is "bicycle" - in a lying position, imitate the movement of the bicycle pedals.
- in extremely advanced degenerative processes in the joint, surgical knee arthroplasty is preferred.
Treatment of joints with folk remedies
In addition to traditional methods of treating sore knees, in many cases folk remedies for relieving inflammation are also effective:
Lotions with a solution of ammonia and camphor
Mix half a glass of ammonia (10% solution) with 10 g of camphor alcohol, add 1 liter of salt water (this requires 1 tablespoon of salt per liter), shake until the precipitate disappears. Heat the solution to a warm temperature in a water bath, moisten the gauze in it and apply to the sore knee. Cover with polyethylene on top. Hold up to half an hour, 2-3 times a day.
Cabbage leaf compress
Beat a leaf of fresh cabbage with a mallet, add a little salt to make the cabbage juice. Apply on knees for several hours, fasten with a bandage. Another variant of this coating is applying a thin layer of honey on a cabbage leaf, otherwise the procedure is the same.
Petroleum tincture
100 g of dry stems insist 3 weeks on 1 liter of vodka. Take orally half an hour before meals, 1 tbsp. l. , diluted in 50 ml of water. The tincture can be rubbed into a sore knee or make lotions.
Beeswax ointment
A piece of wax the size of a box of matches, egg yolks and honey (1 tbsp. L) Mix everything in a water bath, apply a tampon on the sore wrist overnight.
Folk methods, as well as therapeutic exercises, must be agreed with the doctor, because out of ignorance a person can easily harm himself (for example, when applying bee products externally to patients with allergic diseases or when trying to develop a sprained joint with exercise).
Prevention of knee joint diseases is aimed at preventing infection (timely treatment of chronic inflammatory foci), reducing stress (fighting overweight, wearing fixative bandages) and strengthening the ligaments of the joints and bones (gymnastics, swimming, cycling, drinking food)rich in calcium).
Remember that good and timely treatment of your knees, as well as prevention of injuries and recurrences of joint diseases, will allow you to maintain active mobility for many years.