Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in every fifth European.Experts estimate that only 40 percent of cases of degenerative arthrosis arthritis are a consequence of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, this is due to overload, injury and physical inactivity.Thus, knee disease is the price we pay for our lifestyle.
Degenerative changes in the knee joints (arthrosis and arthritis) develop slowly and gradually progress, destroying cartilage.At the same time, there are several forms of this disease.Thus, post-traumatic arthrosis arthritis appears after all kinds of knee injuries, such as sprained ligaments, knee injuries, meniscus injuries, etc.In many cases, the disease is caused by changes in the skeletal system of the muscles of the lower extremities or spine, which leads to improper distribution of load in the knee joint.A common cause of arthrosis is overweight and obesity.In older people, the destruction of the knee joint is explained by natural aging of the body and endocrine disorders: hypothyroidism, acromegaly, systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and chronic inflammatory arthritis, and other ailments of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
Symptoms
Initially, the symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint appear very weakly, so the patient does not pay attention to them.You should be wary if you notice phenomena such as:
- limited joint mobility after getting out of bed;
- pain when trying to squat;
- difficulty straightening the leg;
- swelling and heat in the knee joints after exercise;
- crunching in joints.
As arthrosis progresses, arthritis interferes with normal walking.A person experiences pain when trying to sit down, stand up, or simply move around.However, if you start treatment on time, you can restore the functionality of the knee joint.
Exercises for joints
Special exercises that need to be done regularly help overcome arthrosis of the knee joints.They stimulate blood flow to the knees, due to which the cartilage tissue begins to recover.Attention!If you have post-traumatic arthrosis arthritis, you should consult a traumatologist before performing exercises.
- After waking up, without getting out of bed, slowly perform the “bicycle” exercise.The range of leg movements should be maximum.
- The next exercise against arthrosis is also performed in a lying position.Bend one leg at the knee and straighten the other, pulling your toes towards you as much as possible.Switch legs.Repeat the movements several times.
- Throughout the day, it is useful for knee health to do this simple exercise: sit on the floor, place a support under your heels, keeping your legs horizontal.Then, without bending your knees, you should pull your toes towards you.Repeat several times.
- While sitting on a chair in the office or at home, stretch your legs forward so that your knees are as straight as possible.Pull your toes towards you.This exercise should be done as often as possible, and you will forget about what arthrosis arthritis is.
Experts note: with regular physical activity, the symptoms of knee joint disease are significantly reduced or disappear altogether.On the Internet you can find many videos with useful exercises.
Treatment
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, all kinds of home methods are used - cold and hot compresses, wraps, ointments.Proper diet plays an important role.If you add a few simple foods to your diet, you can quickly cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint without spending huge amounts of money.How to do this - read below.
Cold compresses
Ice packs are recommended when pain is accompanied by swelling of the knee joint and overheating.Squeeze your legs tightly, apply ice packs to them, and place your legs on an elevated surface.For half an hour you should not move your lower limbs.Ice has an anti-inflammatory effect and quickly brings relief.However, it helps only in the early stages of arthrosis.
Warm compresses
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only when there is no swelling.Before physical training, it reduces pain.But you must be careful to avoid burning or irritating your skin.
Essential oils
Essential oils have properties that can help relieve knee pain when used on the skin.Many essential oils have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Essential oils contain not only aromatic compounds, but also chemical components that are very beneficial for joints.Among the latter are terpenoids and terpenes, hydrocarbons and aldehydes, organic acids, amines.All of them have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and regenerating effects.Entering through the skin by rubbing, they moisturize the joint, which is especially important in conditions of synovial fluid deficiency.
If arthrosis is bothering you, call on the healing power of essential oils to help.To do this, it is recommended to make a simple homemade ointment: add a few drops of the chosen oil to regular Vaseline and mix the product.
How to choose essential oil against arthrosis of the joints?Focus on your symptoms.
So, peppermint oil will relieve pain and cool your knees a little, rosemary oil will improve blood circulation (that is, it should be used in cases where arthrosis is caused by a sedentary lifestyle), and lavender oil helps relieve inflammation.
It is also important not to make mistakes when purchasing essential oils.How to distinguish a quality product from a fake - look for videos on this topic on the Internet.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) gives amazing results for diseases of the knee joints (arthrosis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.).The thing is that leeches thin the blood, improve blood circulation and remove all congestion.They will help in any case, regardless of what type of arthrosis you have: post-traumatic, senile, etc.Leeches should be applied in close proximity to the knee, avoiding large arteries.There is a break of 4-7 days between procedures.In total, your treatment will take 3-5 sessions of hirudotherapy.There are many videos on the Internet about how to properly handle leeches.
Honey wraps
Honey wraps help reduce knee pain and treat arthrosis in the early stages.Simply lubricate the affected areas with natural honey, and apply a loose honey bandage on top.It is recommended to carry out this procedure at night.Continue treatment until arthrosis of the joints disappears completely.
Comfrey wraps
To treat arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, comfrey is often used, since this plant strengthens cartilage tissue and helps to build it up in case of degenerative changes in the joints.Melt 200 g of pork fat (lard) in a water bath, add 2 tablespoons of chopped comfrey, and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.After cooling, pour the resulting drug into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.To get rid of arthrosis, lubricate your knees with comfrey at night and apply a bandage on top.
Slippery Elm Wraps
Slippery elm is an excellent folk remedy for arthrosis of the knee joint.You can prepare ointments from it according to the recipe we gave above (200 g of lard + 2 tablespoons of crushed slippery elm bark).Do the wraps every evening until arthrosis or arthritis completely disappears.
Harpagophytum
The plant harpagophytum is popularly called “devil’s claw.”It is successfully used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, as well as other degenerative diseases (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.).Recipe: 2 tablespoons of dried harpagophytum root should be poured into a thermos, pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours.To successfully treat arthrosis, you must drink 3-4 glasses of the resulting drug in a warm form per day.
Bishofite salt
Bichofite salt is a unique natural product that was formed millions of years ago as a result of climate change - the evaporation of sea water and the enrichment of salt with deposits of uncontaminated microelements.It helps to cure any arthrosis and arthritis, even post-traumatic (there are many videos on the Internet about the healing properties of this drug).Just give yourself warm baths every two days, in which 1 glass of bischofite salt is dissolved.Continue treatment until arthrosis and arthritis are completely gone.
Massage for sore knees
During treatment for arthrosis of the knee joints, do not forget to massage regularly.It is advisable to lubricate the skin with a mixture of olive and lavender oils.Try to relax your legs, grab your kneecap with your hands, and move it slightly left and right and back and forth.Relief from pain occurs almost immediately.
Ginger
Ginger has long been used to treat stomach diseases.Scientists have recently discovered that this product also relieves knee pain, reducing the symptoms of joint arthrosis.In a study of 261 patients with moderate to severe knee pain, ginger was shown to reduce pain when walking and standing.Therefore, include this spice in your daily diet, and you will forget what arthrosis or arthritis of the joints is.
We will also tell you how to make compresses from ginger.Grind the root of the plant on a grater so that you get about 2 tablespoons of raw material.Add the juice of a small onion, mix well and apply a thick layer to the area of sore joints.Cover the top with film and secure with a bandage.This compress for arthrosis should be worn for at least 3 hours, but it is better to do it all night.Repeat the treatment every 2-3 days until the unpleasant symptoms completely disappear.
Turmeric
You will be surprised, but turmeric is the most popular folk remedy for knee arthrosis in India.Adding this spice to your food can work wonders as turmeric contains the enzyme curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.Canadian scientists conducted animal studies and found that curcumin reduces joint inflammation by inhibiting the enzyme that causes this condition.There is only one conclusion: if you want to treat arthrosis and arthritis, add turmeric to your daily menu.
Turpentine
Turpentine has long been used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.It also helps fight sciatica and arthritis.How to apply it?Rub the joint area with turpentine at night, apply a warm bandage, and go to bed.The next morning you will find that arthrosis no longer bothers you.
Warming compress
Here is another recipe for a warm compress for arthrosis.Mix 100 ml of pure alcohol with 50 g of mustard powder, 50 g of gasoline and 50 g of camphor.Separately beat the whites of two or three eggs and combine all the ingredients together.The resulting ointment should be lubricated in places where there is arthrosis or arthritis of the joints at night.Continue treatment until complete relief from the disease.
Pine baths
Arthrosis and arthritis of the joints can also be treated with pine baths.How are they made?Boil 1 liter of chopped young coniferous branches over low heat for 5-7 minutes, pour the broth into the bath, and dilute with warm water.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.After the bath, do not rub yourself with a towel - just pat your body dry.
Dandelion flowers
And now we will tell you how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with the help of dandelions.Everything is simple here: in the spring, when dandelions bloom, you should pick 3-4 flowers a day, rinse under running water, and then chew thoroughly.The taste is not very pleasant, but what can’t you do to treat arthrosis?
But for the winter, prepare an alcohol tincture from dandelion flowers: to do this, you need to fill them whole with pure alcohol, and store them in a cool, dark place for 1 month, then strain.As soon as arthritis begins to overcome you, lubricate your knees with this alcohol tincture.