There are currently no medications that can provide lasting relief from gonarthrosis.But it is quite possible to slow down its development and significantly reduce the pain syndrome.
For this use:
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- painkillers;
- Chondroprotectors to ensure the regeneration of cartilage tissue;
- non-drug methods (physiotherapy, manual therapy, physiotherapy);
- Traditional medicine recipes.
Nutrition and spa treatments also play an important role in the fight against the disease.If conservative therapy is unsuccessful, surgical intervention is recommended.
Therapeutic exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint
Therapeutic gymnastics is very effective in the fight against gonarthrosis.Its complex consists of three parts: introduction, main part and final part.The first consists of breathing exercises and walking, repeated 5-6 times.
In the main part, exercises are performed using the following starting positions: sitting on a chair, lying on your back and side, and standing near the gymnastics wall.6-8 repetitions are carried out each time.
In the final part, do exercises standing next to a chair and exercise on an exercise bike at a slow and medium pace for two to three minutes.The complex ends with the restoration of breathing.
When performing therapeutic exercises regularly:
- pain in the knee joints decreases;
- the stiffness of movements disappears and their amplitude increases;
- muscle spasms are relieved;
- blood circulation accelerates;
- Sudden pressure surges in the joints are prevented.
Water aerobics
Many people suffering from gonarthrosis cannot exercise regularly because it causes severe pain.To make training easier, water aerobics is recommended in such cases.
Training in the water:
- eliminates excess weight and reduces the load on the injured knee;
- relieves tension in the legs;
- increases joint mobility;
- massages the skin and thereby improves blood circulation and the general condition of the body.
When the pain subsides, walk in the water to strengthen the muscle corset.When exercising, care must be taken to ensure that the sore leg remains in the correct position.
To reduce the manifestations of the disease, water aerobics should include:
- active movements of the legs (including swings in different directions, as well as circular and oscillating movements);
- squats;
- Bend your legs at the knees.
Series of exercises
When performing therapeutic exercises for arthrosis, you must adhere to the following rules:
- All exercises are performed at a slow and steady pace with a gradual increase in amplitude.Strong fluctuations are strictly contraindicated: instead of benefiting, they can worsen the patient's condition.
- The training takes place while sitting or lying down.
- If pain occurs, stop the activity.In this case, it is advisable to consult your doctor.
- Training should be regular (several times a day), but short-term (a few minutes for each pose).
The following complex gives an effective result:
- Lie on your back, stretch your heels forward and pull your toes toward you.This position relieves muscle spasms and speeds up metabolism in the lower extremities.
- “Vertical scissors” – you need to lie on your back and alternately raise and lower your legs, bending them at the hip joints.
- Sit in a high chair and swing your lower limbs.There should be no effort.The amplitude of the fluctuations should be small.
- Lie on your back and at the same time bend your lower limbs at the hip and knee joints.Bend and straighten your knees.
- Lying on your stomach, alternately raise and lower your outstretched lower limbs.The toe does not need to be removed.
- “Horizontal Scissors” – Lie on your back and lift your legs at a right angle.Alternately spread and pull the lower limbs.
- Bend and straighten your knees from the supine position.
- Lie on your side.Raise your extended lower limbs up and down.
- Lying on your stomach, alternately bend and straighten your legs at the knee joints.
- Lie on your back and imagine that you are riding a bicycle.Bend and straighten your legs at the knees and hips.
Massage for knee osteoarthritis
It is advisable to start manual therapy after a complex of therapeutic and preventive physical education.You can start your massage with a hot shower or a visit to the steam room or sauna.These measures will help warm up the muscles and increase the effectiveness of the procedure.A massage with 37°C warm water has the same effect.
Even several sessions of such therapy significantly improve the patient's condition.However, for the results to be permanent, you must complete the entire course.To achieve the maximum effect, the procedure should be carried out by a specialist - a chiropractor.But you can also perform self-massage using detailed instructions.
When massaging, use both regular massage oils and creams and ointments specifically made for the treatment of gonarthrosis.The movements of the masseur must necessarily correspond to the course of the lymphatic vessels.The procedure should not cause pain or discomfort.
To combat the disease, not only manual local massage is used, but also mechanical vibration massage.You can supplement it with vibrating movements using a sponge and a spike attachment.
Execution techniques
Currently, chiropractors use four well-known massage systems for knee arthrosis - Russian, Eastern, Swedish and Finnish.
Each technique has characteristic differences:
- The eastern technique is aimed at clearing the muscles of venous blood and improving the motor function of the articular surfaces.
- The Swedish technique has the strongest effect on gonarthrosis of the knee joint.It uses stroking and rubbing movements that are carried out simultaneously with the movements of the joints.This approach provides good stretching of the muscles and neurovascular connections and reduces compactions that form in the tissue.
- The Finnish technique is similar to the Swedish one, but differs in that only thumb bundles are used to knead the skin.
When massaging, they use several basic techniques and combine them with each other.Usually, all such procedures begin and end with stroking, which is performed with the entire palm.They aim to relax the muscles, improve blood circulation, relieve tension and activate lymphatic flow.
One of the common methods of knee massage is rubbing.It provides stretching and relaxation of muscles and ligaments and accelerates the movement of blood and lymph.The rubbing process absorbs and removes debris from the joints, improving their mobility.
The main method of manual therapy for gonarthrosis is kneading.This is done by applying gentle pressure to the skin.Kneading offers the masseur the opportunity to work on the deepest layers of the skin.After the procedure, tissue nutrition improves, muscles tone and gain strength and elasticity.
Another massage technique is vibration – shaking the skin and muscles.With its help, vibrations are transmitted to deep tissue.The session consists of three phases: introductory, main and final phases.For the first and last part, only light, slow pressure is applied.In the middle of the procedure, after preparing the tissues and muscles, the most intensive manipulations are carried out.
Massage technique
During manual therapy for knee osteoarthritis, not only the knee but also other parts of the body are kneaded.The manipulations are initially carried out in the lower part of the spine and then move on to the thigh muscles.Stroking and squeezing techniques are used during the session.The latter is done using the edges of the fist and the edges of the palm.Each manipulation is repeated 3-4 times.They always end with shaking and stroking the skin.
After developing the thigh muscles, massage the painful joint.First they rub the sides in circles and then resort to different types of rubbing.Then massage the thigh again.The number of repetitions is reduced.Massage alternately knees and thighs several times.The chiropractor then gently bends and extends the patient's lower limbs and rotates the lower leg.After active leg movements, the thighs and knees are massaged again.But this time, in addition to stroking, they rub the skin with their fingertips and phalanges.At the end of the procedure, shake and gently stroke the damaged joint.
Ointments for arthrosis of the knee joint
People with osteoarthritis are advised to limit the load on the affected joint.At the initial stage, they are prescribed drugs from the Oxicam group (Piroxicam, Xefocam) and Ketorolac.
Ointments help to improve the patient's condition:
- warming;
- contains bee venom;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Medicines with a warming effect are prescribed if there are no pronounced symptoms of the disease.They stimulate local blood circulation in the affected areas.Warming ointments are hypoallergenic and have no side effects.Its application is accompanied by a pleasant feeling of warmth and comfort.
Products containing bee and snake venom are particularly popular.They have distracting and irritating properties, stimulate blood circulation and also help increase the elasticity of muscles and ligaments.However, such ointments often trigger allergic reactions and can cause local inflammation in the area of application.In addition, they are contraindicated in menstruating women and children.
If gonarthrosis is complicated by synovitis, the doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They slow down inflammatory processes and relieve pain.However, such drugs are not very effective: the cream partially remains on the skin, only 5-7% of the active ingredient penetrates deeply, which cannot achieve a sufficient therapeutic effect.
Ointments used for medical purposes are not able to relieve arthrosis, but they can relieve pain and significantly improve the patient's quality of life.