Currently, there are no medications that can permanently alleviate gonarthrosis.But it is quite possible to slow down its development and significantly reduce the pain syndrome.
For this use:
- anti-inflammatory medications;
- analgesics;
- chondroprotectors to ensure the regeneration of cartilage tissue;
- non-drug methods (physiotherapy, manual therapy, physiotherapy);
- traditional medicine recipes.
Diet and spa treatment also play an important role in combating the disease.If conservative therapy does not produce any results, surgical intervention is recommended.
Therapeutic exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint
Therapeutic gymnastics is very effective in combating gonarthrosis.Its complex consists of three parts: introductory, main and final.The first involves performing breathing exercises and walking, which are repeated 5 to 6 times.
In the main part, exercises are performed for which the following starting positions are used: sitting on a chair, lying on your back and side, as well as standing near the gymnastic wall.In each case, 6-8 repetitions are performed.
In the final part, do exercises standing near a chair and exercise on an exercise bike for two to three minutes at a slow to medium pace.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 spikes on joints are avoided.
Aquatic gymnastics
Many people who suffer from gonarthrosis are unable to exercise regularly as this causes severe pain.In these cases, to facilitate training, it is recommended to practice water aerobics.
Water training:
- eliminates excess weight and reduces the load on the injured knee;
- relieves tension in the legs;
- increases joint mobility;
- massages the skin, thus improving blood circulation and the general condition of the body.
When the pain subsides, walk in the water to strengthen the muscle corset.During the exercise, it is necessary to ensure that the sore leg remains in the correct position.
To reduce the manifestations of the disease, water aerobics should include:
- active leg movements (including swings in different directions, as well as circular and oscillatory movements);
- squat;
- bending your legs at the knees.
Set of exercises
When doing therapeutic exercises for arthrosis, you must adhere to the following rules:
- All exercises are performed at a slow and smooth pace, with a gradual increase in amplitude.Sudden fluctuations are strictly contraindicated: instead of benefiting, they can worsen the patient's condition.
- Training takes place in a sitting or lying position.
- 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 of short duration (a few minutes for each pose).
The following complex will provide an effective result:
- Lie on your back, stretch your heels forward and pull your toes towards you.This position will relieve muscle spasms and speed 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 on a high chair and swing your lower limbs.There should be no effort.The amplitude of the oscillations should be small.
- Lie on your back, bending your lower limbs at the same time at the hip and knee joints.Bend and straighten your knees.
- Lying on your stomach, alternately raise and lower your extended lower limbs.No need to stub your toe.
- “Horizontal scissors” – lie on your back, raise your legs at a right angle.Alternately open and retract the lower limbs.
- Bend and straighten your knees in the supine position.
- Lie on your side.Lift the straightened 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 bath or a visit to the steam room or sauna.These actions will help warm up the muscles and increase the effectiveness of the procedure.A massage in water heated to 37°C will have the same effect.
Even several sessions of this therapy will significantly improve the patient's condition.But for the results to be lasting, you need to complete the full course.To achieve maximum effect, the procedure must be performed by a specialist - a chiropractor.But you can also do self-massage by following detailed instructions.
When massaging, use regular massage oils and creams and ointments made especially for treating gonarthrosis.The massage therapist's movements must strictly correspond to the course of the lymphatic vessels.The procedure should not cause pain or discomfort.
In the fight against the disease, not only manual local massage is used, but also mechanical vibration massage.You can complement it with vibrating movements with a sponge and a pointed accessory.
Execution techniques
Currently, chiropractors for knee arthrosis use four well-known massage systems - Russian, Oriental, Swedish and Finnish.
Each technique has characteristic differences:
- The eastern technique aims to free the muscles from venous blood and improve 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, which are performed simultaneously with joint movements.This approach provides good stretching of the muscles and neurovascular connections and reduces compactions that form in the tissues.
- The Finnish technique is similar to the Swedish one, but differs from it in that only the thumbs are used to massage the skin.
In massage, they use several basic techniques, combining them with each other.Typically, all these procedures begin and end with stroking, which is performed with the entire palm.They aim to relax muscles, improve blood circulation, relieve tension and activate lymphatic flow.
One of the common methods for massaging your knees is rubbing.Provides stretching and relaxation of muscles and ligaments, accelerates blood and lymph circulation.During the friction process, deposits are absorbed and removed from the joints, thus improving their mobility.
The main method of manual therapy for gonarthrosis is kneading.This is done by gently pressing the skin.Kneading gives the massage therapist the opportunity to influence the deeper layers of the skin.After the procedure, tissue nutrition improves, muscles become toned, gaining strength and elasticity.
Another technique used in massage is vibration - shaking the skin and muscles.With its help, vibrations are transmitted to deeper tissues.The session consists of three stages: introductory, main and final.During 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 intense manipulations are carried out.
Massage technique
Manual therapy for knee arthrosis involves massaging not only the knee, but also other parts of the body.Manipulations are performed first in the lower part of the spine, and then move to the thigh muscles.During the session, stroking and squeezing techniques are used.The latter is performed using the ridges of the wrists and the edges of the palm.Each manipulation is repeated 3-4 times.They always end up shaking and stroking the skin.
After developing your thigh muscles, massage the painful joint.First, they make circular movements on the sides and then use different types of friction.Then they massage the thigh again.The number of repetitions is reduced.Massage the knee and thigh alternately several times.The chiropractor then gently flexes and extends the patient's lower limb and rotates the leg.After active movements of the leg, the thigh and knee are massaged again.But this time, in addition to stroking, they rub the skin with the tips and phalanges of their fingers.At the end of the procedure, gently shake and stroke the damaged joint.
Ointments for arthrosis of the knee joint
People suffering from osteoarthritis are advised to limit the load on the affected joint.In the initial stages, drugs belonging to the oxicam group (piroxicam, xefocam) and ketorolac are prescribed.
Ointments will help improve the patient's condition:
- heating;
- containing 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 use is accompanied by a pleasant feeling of warmth and comfort.
Particularly popular are products containing bee and snake venoms.They have distracting and irritating properties, stimulate blood circulation and also help increase the elasticity of muscles and ligaments.But these ointments often cause allergic reactions and can cause local inflammation in the area of application.Furthermore, they are contraindicated for menstruating women and children.
If gonarthrosis is complicated by synovitis, your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They will slow down inflammatory processes and relieve pain.But these drugs are not very effective: the cream partially remains on the skin, only 5-7% of the active substance penetrates deeply, which is not able to produce a sufficient therapeutic effect.
Ointments used for medicinal purposes are not capable of relieving osteoarthritis, but they can relieve pain and significantly improve the patient's quality of life.