Knee stiffness
This disease is known as arthritis, which is one of the most common chronic joint diseases; studies indicate that more than 27 million people are infected in the United States. The disease may affect any joint in the body, but it is more prevalent in the knee and pelvis and lower back and neck, and it may affect the small joints of the fingers of the hand or foot; in the natural joints there is a piece of hard rubber cartilage covering both ends of bone joint, The cartilage is the smooth movement of the joint, and also acts as a cushion to protect it.
What happens in knee stiffness is the decomposition of the cartilage. As a result, friction of the bones causes pain, swelling, and reduced movement of the knee, sometimes leading to osteoporosis. Age is the most serious risk factor for severe knee stiffness, but it can affect young people in rare cases, especially if they have a family history of infection, or have been affected by inflammation or damage to the knee.
Causes of coarseness of the knee
Age is the most common cause of knee stiffness. Any person who is older must have a certain degree of knee stiffness. There are also several factors that may increase the chance of stiffness of the knee, including:
- Aging : Cartilage is less able to recover with age.
- Weight gain: This increases the pressure on the joints of the body in general, as the weight increase in the amount of one kilogram increases the pressure on the knees by 3-4 kg.
- The presence of genetic factors : When there are certain genetic mutations, this may increase the chance of stiffness of the knee, and the occurrence of inherited disorders in the form of bone may expose him more to the severity of the knee.
- The chance of getting roughness of the knee increases in women when they reach more than 55 years of age .
- Frequent exposure to stress injuries : This happens to professionals who require too much movement, such as lifting heavy weights, as this is a continuous pressure on the knee, which expose them more to the injury of roughness.
- The incidence of knee stiffness also increases in athletes : As football or tennis players, because of their frequent running in these sports, so they must be careful not to damage the knee. Doctors are advised to exercise moderately and regularly to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee. The weakness of these muscles may contribute to the severity of the knee.
- Suffering from pathological conditions that increase the chance of knee stiffness : Rheumatoid arthritis, increased iron in the body, or excessive growth hormone secretion.
Symptoms of coarseness of the knee
The suffering of the roughness of the knee, the feeling of many symptoms such as:
- The pain may start suddenly in some cases. At the beginning of the injury, the patient may feel pain in the knee in the morning or after a long stay without movement, and then feel the patient when the stairs, or stand after sitting , Or when walking. The pain associated with knee stiffness may be so severe that it awakens the patient from sleep.
- Suffering from knee irritation resulting mostly from the formation of osteoporosis, the knee swells and swells as well as the redness of the skin covering it and its high temperature.
- Injury and frequent twisting and stiffening of the knee: Over time, the muscles around the knee weaken, making them more unstable and more prone to twisting. The patient may also suffer from stiffness and inability to bend.
- Knee sounds from the knee are caused by damage to the cartilage and the resulting friction of the bone ends.
- Determine the extent of knee movement.
- The appearance of abnormalities in the external shape of the knee: These distortions vary with the degree of roughness of the knee.
Treatment of knee roughness
Knee stiffness is an aggravating disease and can not be reversed. Occupational therapy and pain relief are the main goals of treating knee roughness. There are ways to treat early knee stiffness that increase the chances of keeping the joint as much as possible. The most important methods of treating knee roughness are as follows:
- Non-surgical procedures for knee coarseness: These procedures include the following:
- Physical therapy and exercise: by performing certain exercises to tighten and strengthen the knee and surrounding muscles. It is usually performed by a physical therapist or a specialist. Your doctor may recommend avoiding certain activities or movements that may increase pain and friction, such as jogging.
- Use of warm or cold bandages: Warm-water bandages facilitate the movement of the stiff joint. The use of ice packs for 15 minutes after doing any activity helps to relieve swelling and relieve pain.
- Weight loss: Because of the increase in the impact of knee stiffness and increase the symptoms associated with it; because of the excessive pressure it poses on the knees.
- Medical procedures and injections used to treat knee roughness:
- Use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs: The most pain relievers used acetaminophen, which works to relieve pain without reducing swelling. Doctors are also advised to use NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, which relieve joint irritation and swelling, thus relieving pain associated with stiffness of the knee. These medicines can be used in the form of oral tablets or ointments.
- Taking drugs containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate: these naturally occurring adenoids in the cartilage of the human body, and some studies have indicated the improvement of the number of patients with knee roughness after taking these drugs.
- Use of injections: It may include either a steroid compound that works to reduce the tumor and thus eliminate joint stiffness and pain relief, or hyalurinic acid, which is similar in composition to synovial fluid located naturally in the joint, thus softening and facilitating movement.
- Use of supporting devices and orthopedic devices: such as special shoes that relieve pressure on the knees, knee joint support or use of a heel on the opposite side of the injured knee, provides additional stability and reduces pressure on the knee.
- Surgery: Most patients with knee stiffness do not need surgery, but resort to it if the symptoms are severe, or if not benefit from the previous methods. It involves several types of removal of damaged parts of the cartilage, including bone-fitting and friction reduction, as well as knee joint replacement.