Post-traumatic arthritis is a consequence of damage of a mechanical nature,
Often injuries occur in the knee joints and ankles. Accordingly, post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint or ankle develops.
Important! Treatment of damaged joints must begin immediately after the injury. This is due to the fact that, against the background of minor injuries, arthritis develops gradually and imperceptibly.
Even the smallest crack, which the victim forgets about after a couple of days, can manifest itself even several years later in the form of arthritis.
When injuries occur:
The occurrence of post-traumatic arthritis, along with injury, may be accompanied by a load factor on the joint capsules. In addition, the development of the disease is facilitated by all sorts of malfunctions in the functioning of all body systems, which, in turn, can lead to damage to joint tissues. It could be:
In addition to these manifestations, redness at the site of inflammation, increased body temperature and fever are typical for post-traumatic arthritis.
To determine the stage of development of the inflammatory process, the doctor prescribes tests for the patient, including determining the level of leukocytes in the blood.
Treatment of post-traumatic arthritis primarily involves pain relief. The next goal of therapy is to remove the causes of joint damage and restore all its functions.
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - Voltaren, Aspirin, Intomycin and others. They provide an analgesic effect, relieve inflammation, and reduce fever.
During the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis, a strict diet is required; this measure helps to get rid of the disease as quickly as possible. Protein foods (fatty fish, red meat, eggs) should be excluded from the diet.
The patient's menu should include a large amount of liquid (at least 2 liters per day). To ensure proper nutrition of articular cartilage tissue, doctors prescribe a complex of vitamins B, C, and Ca to patients suffering from arthritis. In combination with other therapeutic methods, vitamins help renew joint tissue.
Regular gymnastic exercises help normalize blood circulation in areas of joint damage.
But we should not forget that exercise therapy and exercises for the knee joint can only be used in the absence of extensive inflammatory processes and intra-articular fractures.
Sometimes conservative treatment, including the use of medications, the use of ointments and gels, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises, does not bring the desired result. Mobility of the joint does not return, and the pain does not go away. In such cases, a surgical operation is prescribed - endoprosthetics (replacement of a joint with an artificial implant).
One of the causes of arthrosis is mechanical damage to the joint. There is a metabolic disorder in the periarticular muscles and a decrease in the work of synovial fluid. As a result of acquired injury and its untimely treatment, deformation of the cartilage tissue of the joint occurs - post-traumatic arthrosis develops.
Post-traumatic arthrosis can affect all joints in the human body. Most often these are large joints - hip, knee, ankle, shoulder. Less commonly affected by the development of the disease are small joints - foot joints, fingers, wrist joints.
1st degree - mainly when moving (loading the joint), pain occurs, a slight crunch appears.
2nd degree – there is a restriction in movement, this is especially evident in the morning after sleep, the crunching becomes stronger and rougher, the pain is intense.
3rd degree – almost complete loss of joint mobility, visual deformation, incessant pain.
The destruction of articular cartilage occurs due to changes in the structure of the constituent parts of the entire joint mechanism and disruption of blood circulation.
The main causative factor in post-traumatic arthrosis will always be incorrect (untimely) treatment. When mistakes were made in making a diagnosis, anatomical defects remain after treatment in the form of bone displacement, remnants of fragments in the muscles, sprained ligaments - arthrosis will not take long to occur.
Post-traumatic arthrosis is such a common consequence that it was included in the international classification of diseases, assigning a separate number to each type. ICD 10 has statistically systematized data on all characteristics of diseases.
There are other classifications of all post-traumatic arthrosis of small and large joints. All these types are connected by one characteristic flow. Post-traumatic arthrosis occurs in waves, which allows us to talk about its possible periods of remission. During the period of remission, it is easiest to provide treatment, since some procedures are not interfered with by pain and inflammation.
Before drug treatment of post-traumatic arthrosis, it is necessary to relieve the joint damaged by arthrosis, but at the same time to prevent its complete deformation and atrophy of the periarticular muscles.
For unloading, a course of therapeutic and preventive gymnastics is prescribed. Special exercises must be performed in the prescribed course, but pain must not be felt when performing them. On the website you can familiarize yourself with therapeutic exercises performed for arthrosis of the joints.
Traditional medicine is well suited for the treatment of post-traumatic arthrosis of small joints (foot and toes, hands, wrist and elbow joints). Pain-relieving compresses made from burdock and cabbage leaves, taking baths with minerals, sea salt and various herbs, as well as rubbing and tinctures will help with the initial stages of the disease. On the site you can familiarize yourself with traditional treatment methods.
Drug treatment cannot be bypassed, since pain relief during the inflammatory process requires taking NSAIDs. As well as long-term use of chondroprotectors, which help in the regeneration of bone tissue and reduce the development of the disease.
Post-traumatic arthritis is a joint disease that occurs as a result of mechanical damage to cartilage tissue, ligaments, menisci, tendons, and joint capsule. The knee and ankle joints most often suffer from this type of arthritis.
If the injury is serious, then the mobility of the joint is impaired immediately after the traumatic impact. In the case of microtrauma, mobility impairments develop gradually. Therefore, it is very important to begin treatment as soon as possible after the injury has occurred. Then the result of treatment of this disease will be favorable.
Let's consider the main symptoms of post-traumatic arthritis:
With sufficiently severe inflammation, an increase in temperature, leukocytosis, and fever is possible. The occurrence of leukocytosis is often mistaken for the presence of an infectious pathogen. The speed at which symptoms occur indicates the speed of the disease.
If any symptoms appear immediately after injury, we can confidently speak of acute post-traumatic arthritis, when it is recommended to urgently hospitalize the patient and begin treatment. The chronic course of the disease causes some difficulties in diagnosis and treatment.
The causes of the development of post-traumatic arthritis are closed injuries, accompanied by hemorrhages into the articular cavity, bruises, which are accompanied by ruptures and cracks of the articular cartilage. In addition, arthritis can be caused by a dislocation, in which the joint capsules and ligaments are torn.
The process of treating articular disease is complex and lengthy. Treatment of post-traumatic arthritis is prescribed taking into account the nature of the damage and the location of the injury. First of all, doctors are struggling to remove the effects of hemorrhage and restore its natural function. In the absence of intra-articular lesions, drug therapy for post-traumatic arthritis is prescribed, including taking aspirin, indomethacin, and voltaren. Severe pain is relieved with corticosteroids (hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs), if non-steroidal drugs do not help. For non-advanced post-traumatic arthritis, in addition to medications, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, and physical therapy are recommended.
Therapeutic exercise is mandatory, since without it the joint can become stiff due to the proliferation of bone tissue. Exercises and physiotherapy are indicated if there is no intra-articular fracture. The joint should be loaded gradually and performed slowly with a small amplitude, gradually increasing it. Working out the joint will help you get back on your feet faster.
It is necessary to take into account that you should not start the exercises immediately, but first warm up the joint with warming creams that have an anti-inflammatory effect. These products include creams based on various medicinal herbs - chamomile, horsetail, wormwood, burdock, and also contain collagen hydrolyzate and glucosamine. These substances increase the permeability of the cream through the skin and reduce inflammation and pain.
Conservative treatment methods provide only a temporary positive effect, but only if treatment is started in a timely manner. Therefore, in most cases, if the desired effect has not been achieved, surgical intervention is resorted to. Modern surgery quite often encounters such injuries, and the most effective and affordable is endoprosthetics, which can free the patient from excruciating pain and lameness.
Post-traumatic arthritis is, of course, a complex and unpleasant disease, but everything is fixable. The main thing is to adhere to systematic, planned and methodical treatment. Haste is no help in this matter. If you do not act at your own discretion and consult a doctor in time, and if you follow all his recommendations, then everything will go well, and the disease will be forgotten forever.
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Post-traumatic arthritis occurs due to mechanical damage:
Often the ankle and knee joints are susceptible to injury, respectively. It is in these parts of the body that post-traumatic arthritis occurs.
The importance of starting joint treatment immediately after an injury occurs is undeniable, since against the background of minor injuries, the development of arthritis occurs gradually and imperceptibly. A microcrack, which will cease to be felt a few days after its occurrence, can cause adverse consequences for the joint after a couple of years.
Along with injury, the occurrence of post-traumatic arthritis may be accompanied by heavy physical stress on the joint capsules, as well as the onset of the disease due to various malfunctions of the body, which can, in turn, lead to damage. Such reasons may be:
The symptoms that are characteristic of this type of disease are similar to other subtypes of arthritis. It can be:
Symptoms in the form of chills or increased body temperature, or perhaps only local redness and hot skin where the source of the disease is directly observed, indicate an inflammatory process. In order to determine the stage of the disease, it is necessary to do an analysis of the level of leukocytes in the blood.
First of all, treatment of post-traumatic arthritis is aimed at relieving pain, and then at restoring all functions of the joint and removing the causes of its damage.
Taking medications is divided into two approaches:
Treatment options for post-traumatic arthritis also include:
Following a diet during treatment promotes a faster recovery. It is recommended to exclude the consumption of protein foods such as red meat, fatty fish, and eggs.
Preference should be given to fermented milk products - low-fat cottage cheese and sour cream. You can eat poultry, as well as almost all vegetables, fresh and steamed.
Along with fermented milk foods, which compensate for lost calcium, it is worth diluting your diet with foods that are rich in potassium - dried apricots, bananas, dried fruits (raisins, prunes) and baked potatoes.
Proper nutrition also includes adequate fluid intake (at least 2 liters per day). And for more effective nutrition of articular cartilage directly, the prescription often contains a group of vitamins B, C, Ca. Vitamins in combination with other therapeutic manipulations help regenerate joint tissue.
Carrying out regular gymnastic exercises helps to activate blood circulation in areas of joint damage. However, it is worth remembering that maintenance exercise can only be carried out if there are no intra-articular fractures or extensive inflammatory processes.
You need to work on the affected joint slowly. Perform each exercise slowly, without sudden amplitudes, increasing the load over time. Also, sometimes, before performing exercises, the doctor may prescribe a warming ointment in order to warm up the joint and relieve possible pain. Such ointments often contain extracts of herbs - chamomile, wormwood, horsetail, burdock.
If traditional drug treatment in combination with various conservative manipulations did not bring the desired effect or treatment was started late, then surgical methods are resorted to.
When a joint is not amenable to restorative procedures and the process of deformation and destruction of the cartilaginous base occurs, joint replacement surgery is performed - endoprosthetics.
Often arthritis begins to bother a person after damage to the knee joint and its cartilage tissue. It is the joints that suffer the most. With minor damage, pain symptoms are not always pronounced, but after a serious bruise or injury, the victim may experience impaired mobility or be completely unable to move normally.
In the presence of microtraumas, stiffness in movements is not noticeable at first, but every day the discomfort and inflammation in the knee intensify and can lead to dire consequences. That is why post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint is considered a rather difficult disease.
Its treatment should be carried out only under the strict supervision of a qualified specialist after confirming the correct diagnosis.
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Typically, knee arthritis occurs gradually, since changes within the joint occur in everyone. Over time, the function of cartilage changes and the amount of synovial fluid decreases. It is because of this that friction occurs in the joint, which leads to disruption of metabolic processes and inflammatory processes.
The knee joint in this condition cannot function as before. This is especially noticeable during long walking, running and other physical activities. At first, a person is bothered by aching pain during the day and at night, and gradually it becomes more and more difficult to move. In the most advanced cases, the patient cannot move without assistance.
Almost the same processes occur with post-traumatic arthritis, however, the disease can develop in this case many times faster, and due to the damage, its course can sometimes be unpredictable.
The reason for the development of post-traumatic arthritis of the knees is clear - it is an injury. But the degree and area of damage may vary.
If changes occur inside the joint, it is simply impossible to determine the cause of the pain on your own. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a high-quality diagnosis and identify the cause of the pain.
Typically, the following changes can be detected:
After the formation of a hematoma, an inflammatory process inevitably follows, which is fraught with cartilage degeneration. Granulation tissue begins to form inside it, this leads to fusion. It is because of this that the patient cannot move normally. In the photo you can see what arthritis looks like.
In case of serious injury, the following damages are observed:
In terms of its symptoms, traumatic arthritis is not much different from other types of arthritis.
Most often, the following manifestations can be observed:
In the international classification of diseases, you can familiarize yourself with other, more rare symptoms (long-lasting hematoma, joint stiffness, etc.)
If the knee joint has been seriously injured, this can cause severe complications, and, as a result, more painful sensations, greater swelling and hyperemia in the knee area, and inflammation in this case occurs almost immediately. Rapid development of the disease can lead to fever and leukocytosis. This condition indicates the severity of the disease.
It is especially important to pay attention to body temperature; if it increases significantly within 24 hours after the injury, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is important to conduct a high-quality examination to exclude the possibility of developing an acute infectious process.
However, the listed symptoms may not appear immediately, but 2 to 3 weeks after the injury, and the consequences may be no less severe.
Post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint always requires detailed diagnosis, and the sooner it is carried out, the less likely the disease will progress. First, the doctor must find out when the patient was injured and when the first symptoms appeared. It is on these data that the diagnosis will be based.
It is mandatory to conduct a blood test to determine the level of leukocytes. Thus, it is determined how acute the disease is.
The possibility of a fracture cannot be excluded, which will significantly worsen the situation. Its presence is confirmed or excluded using an x-ray.
The instructions for medical assistance in case of injury are simple. To begin with, it is necessary to eliminate the pain syndrome, and also prescribe therapy aimed at preventing possible inflammation in the joint.
This will help restore the functioning of the joints and prevent undesirable consequences in the future. It is important to remember that treatment measures must be comprehensive and only a doctor can prescribe them!
Treatment of traumatic arthritis of the knee joint can be carried out according to the following scheme:
When there is a wound on a limb, the damage should be treated with antiseptics and a sterile bandage applied. If the knee injury was serious or complications began in the form of elevated temperature, severe tissue swelling, etc., antibiotics, antipyretics, and other medications are added to general drug therapy as indicated.
At the stage of recovery after a limb injury, in addition to medications, the doctor will recommend daily therapeutic exercises to the patient. It is very important to perform gymnastics correctly. Therefore, at first, it is recommended to practice with a specialist who will show you how to perform each exercise correctly. Additionally, the doctor will prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures for the patient.
It is not difficult to completely restore JOINTS! The most important thing is to rub this into the sore spot 2-3 times a day.
It is always easier to prevent any disease than to subsequently deal with its long-term treatment. To exclude the possibility of developing post-traumatic arthritis, you need to pay special attention to the specialist’s recommendations and follow them exactly in the period after the injury.
The most important thing during the recovery period is moderate activity. A sedentary lifestyle can have a bad effect not only on the condition of the joints, but also on the entire body as a whole.
It is useful to do swimming, gymnastics, and cycling. During this period, it is important to reduce the force load on the joint, so it is better to use the elevator than to climb the stairs. Do not lift heavy objects.
For overweight people, you should try to lose weight, this will not only reduce the load on the knee, but will also significantly improve your overall condition. There are a variety of knee pads, canes and splints available for sale. They help restore mobility and reduce pain.
You should also eat rationally, spend more time outdoors, and eliminate bad habits, which will certainly affect the condition of the body as a whole, and the joints in particular.
If there were microdamages and the patient ignored the doctor’s advice, then the problem may worsen significantly over time. Gradually, the joints will lose their functionality, because irreversible processes may begin in their tissues due to inflammation.
At first, the patient will experience minor discomfort, but every day it will become more and more difficult for him to move. This condition can lead to the fact that without outside help, a person will not be able to move, and may well become disabled.
If medical care is not provided in a timely manner after a serious knee injury, the disease can cause immediate complications: tissues may begin to become inflamed and peel off; The possibility of developing a general infection in the body cannot be ruled out either.
Post-traumatic arthritis is not a death sentence. With the right approach, the patient can quickly cope with the disease.
The main rule is to approach solving the problem comprehensively: take medications and vitamins, eat a balanced diet, and lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Listen to your doctor in everything! You can learn more about post-traumatic arthritis of the knee by watching the video in this article.
The symptoms characteristic of post-traumatic arthritis are similar to those of other arthritis. It can be:
Treatment of the disease includes several methods, one of them is medication. Taking medications is divided into two approaches:
Corticosteroid hormone therapy is indicated for severe symptoms. This treatment prevents joint deformation.
For post-traumatic arthritis, other therapeutic measures are used:
Preference should be given to fermented milk products - low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese. It is allowed to eat poultry, rabbit meat, and almost any vegetables, steamed and fresh.
Along with fermented milk foods, which can compensate for the calcium lost in the bones, the diet of a patient with arthritis should contain foods rich in potassium: dried fruits (raisins, prunes), bananas, dried apricots and baked potatoes.
The development of the affected joint should be approached slowly. Any exercise must be done at a slow pace, without sudden amplitudes, gradually increasing the load.
Often, doctors prescribe a warming ointment for exercise therapy, which is applied before classes and serves to warm up the joint.
Such ointments usually contain extracts of plant herbs - burdock, wormwood, horsetail, chamomile.
Joint damage is a widespread disease. It may be the main one or develop against the background of other diseases. The cause may be infectious pathologies or illnesses associated with metabolic disorders in the body. Currently, medical circles adhere to the concept of insufficient functioning of the immune system.
Deformation of joints occurs due to the growth of the inner layer of the joint capsule or osteo-fibrous canal, which leads to the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue, causing the joint to become immobile. The disease most often affects middle-aged women.
The classification of arthritis by origin has been approved:
Infection in the body, metabolic disorders or insufficient functioning of the immune system can lead to the occurrence of a disease such as arthritis. There are several signs by which the disease can be identified, the main ones being pain and crunching in the area of the movable joint of the bones.
There are several ways to diagnose the disease. To make an accurate determination, it is important to use several of them, since similar symptoms may be present in other diseases.
The main methods of treatment are the use of medications that reduce the severity of symptoms and light physical exercise. To prevent the disease, you should maintain an active lifestyle, avoiding bad habits. If the treatment is correct and prescribed on time, the disease can be eliminated in the early stages.
Each disease in the medical literature has its own code. Post-traumatic arthritis according to ICD 10 has code M00-M25 (international standard), which depends on the location of the pathology.
The ankle and knee joints are most often injured, which is why post-traumatic arthritis of the ankle and knee joint occurs. The knee is most often injured in athletes and people who are overweight. Post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint has characteristic pain in the knee area, which can be felt after physical activity. In some cases, painful sensations appear even without exertion. Later the pain becomes constant.
Post-traumatic arthritis of the shoulder joint occurs as a consequence of previous injuries. If injuries occur repeatedly, they can lead to damage to blood vessels. At first, the shoulder only hurts a little. The appearance of small cracks in bones or cartilage, damage to tendons makes itself felt more and more every year. However, if the injury was very severe, arthritis may appear immediately.
Post-traumatic arthritis of the finger occurs as a result of all kinds of joint injuries, sprains and bruises, and can occur after surgery.
The sacroiliac joint is a semi-movable joint, has a short articular capsule and strong ligamentous apparatus. This compound is most often affected by arthritis and osteoarthritis. Arthritis of the sacroiliac joint is the most common cause of low back pain. Sacro-articular arthritis brings discomfort when walking and makes it difficult to perform usual work. Arthritis of the sacroiliac joint is chronic, so the symptoms bother a person only for a certain time, after which they decrease and reappear after a certain period of time. Sacroarticular arthritis often affects older people.
There are several signs by which the disease can be identified:
With this disease, inflammatory processes often appear. This type of arthritis causes a person to experience pain and discomfort when moving. In most cases, infection occurs after receiving various injuries and wounds. The patient complains of difficulty moving. In addition, painful sensations appear and the temperature rises.
With this disease, joint weakness may occur due to hypertrophy of the synovial membrane. A Baker's cyst may develop in the popliteal region. Another type of disease is arthrosis. It appears due to problems with blood circulation in joints and tissues. During the course of the disease, the patient's cartilaginous cover changes and cartilage tissue is destroyed. After a certain period, the cartilage changes. Its color changes, cracks and delaminations form, and thinning of the cartilage tissue is observed. These changes negatively affect bones. Growths, lumps and thorns may appear. As the disease progresses further, the bone may become deformed.
Defining a disease is a rather labor-intensive process, since symptoms can also be attributed to other diseases. Some types of arthritis are diagnosed quite simply and quickly, while others require the experience of a specialist and additional methods.
The following methods are used to determine the disease:
Currently, arthroscopic surgery is increasingly used. Thanks to it, you can view the contents of the joint. A method used is to view tissue using X-rays. Several methods are used to make a diagnosis in order to prescribe the correct treatment for post-traumatic arthritis and not harm the patient.
When prescribing a course of treatment, it is necessary to take into account the type and stage of the disease. Typically, drug treatment for this disease includes taking anti-inflammatory drugs. These medications will help reduce swelling.
To reduce pain, patients take special painkillers. In addition, patients with arthritis take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs must be injected into the joint.
When prescribing drug treatment, it is necessary to take into account the likelihood of adverse reactions, especially when taking drugs for a long time. Treatment must be prescribed by an experienced specialist. The doctor will help eliminate the causes of the disease. The doctor may additionally prescribe certain exercises that will help the patient feel better.
When identifying this disease, the doctor’s main goal is to reduce inflammatory processes, so non-steroidal drugs are used, which are taken in courses over several years. Together with them, the patient is prescribed steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex. However, they are used rarely (if the pain is very strong), in small quantities, and soon they are completely canceled.
During treatment, it is necessary to take into account that the prescribed exercises can only be done after pre-warming the joint with a cream that has an anti-inflammatory effect. You can use a drug that contains an extract of various medicinal herbs - chamomile, wormwood, burdock, horsetail. Products that contain glucosamine are also good. This substance increases the permeability of therapeutic agents through the skin and reduces inflammation and pain.
Conservative methods of treating arthritis can only provide temporary results. However, if treatment is started in a timely manner, then there is every chance of defeating the disease. In cases where a positive effect has not been achieved and the patient’s condition is worsening every day, surgical intervention is resorted to. We are talking about removing parts of altered tissue or an entire joint and replacing it with artificial elements (endoprosthetics).
After completing a course of treatment, it is very important to pay due attention to preventive measures. The main factors that can aggravate the patient’s condition:
It follows: in order to avoid the occurrence of joint pathology, the patient needs to change his lifestyle and, if possible, adhere to certain conditions that help maintain healthy joints. That is, you need:
If the work is sedentary, then you need to take breaks to perform movements and do feasible gymnastics. It is important to properly arrange the workplace so that you do not have to bend or bend. If treatment of the patient is not organized in a timely manner, the prognosis leaves much to be desired. This disease can lead to complete blockage of the joints. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle greatly increases your chances of improving your condition, including complete recovery. During treatment and prevention, special attention should be paid to traditional medicine methods.
As with other types of this disease, in the case of post-traumatic arthritis a person is bothered by several unpleasant symptoms:
If at least some of these signs appear immediately after a person has been injured, then we can assume the development of an acute post-traumatic form of the disease, for which the patient must be urgently hospitalized and appropriate treatment must begin. If the disease develops gradually and takes a chronic form, it is much more difficult to diagnose, and treatment also takes much longer.
Post-traumatic arthritis of the ankle joint or other joints of the bones develops due to the fact that a person receives some kind of closed injury, due to which hemorrhage occurs in the joint cavity. The same can happen in case of bruises accompanied by cracks in the cartilage tissue and its ruptures. Another reason may be a simple dislocation, leading to rupture of the joint capsule and ligamentous apparatus. That is why even small, unnoticeable joint injuries cannot be ignored. It is better to see a doctor and make sure that everything is fine and no treatment is required. Young people most often suffer from this disease, because it is young people who lead a very active and sometimes even risky lifestyle, engage in extreme sports, and often injure their knees, elbows and ankles. In addition, young people are not always inclined to run to the doctor because of bruises, so the disease can become chronic before the necessary measures are taken.
Unfortunately, treatment of this form of arthritis is quite difficult and takes a lot of time. It all depends on which joints are damaged and the nature of the damage received. In the event of an injury, specialists first remove all the consequences of the hemorrhages that have occurred so that the natural functions of the joint can be restored and the person can be returned to shape as quickly as possible. If no lesions are found inside the joint, then therapy will include, first of all, taking special medications:
If the disease does not progress, then the doctor will definitely prescribe, in addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy, massage treatments, and physical therapy.
Special therapeutic exercises are required for the treatment of post-traumatic forms of arthritis after the patient is relieved of pain and swelling. Of course, if the pain is too strong, the joints swell, there are intra-articular fractures, then you first need to cope with them, and only then begin physical therapy. At the recovery stage, a gentle load is necessary to restore mobility to the joints of the bones. Without exercise, bone tissue grows and makes movement difficult, joints become inactive, which causes a lot of anxiety for a person and makes it difficult to live a normal life. All therapeutic exercises should be performed slowly, in a gentle manner, so as not to cause pain. The amplitude and number of repetitions increase gradually. All exercises should be prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, his physical condition and the course of the disease. Before starting classes, it is worth lubricating the injured knee (or other joint) with a warming cream with an anti-inflammatory effect prescribed by the treating specialist. As a rule, these are compositions that include extracts of wormwood, chamomile, the usual burdock or horsetail, as well as glucosamine. Such creams and gels reduce pain and have a positive effect on inflammation.
Physical therapy has proven effective in treating arthritis. Typically, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy or phonophoresis, ultraviolet or UHF treatment are used to improve the condition of the joints. Only the doctor decides which type of therapy is best to use. Various baths (with iodine, mud, hydrogen sulfide, radon), and paraffin treatment are also good for improving the patient’s well-being. All physiotherapeutic procedures improve the condition of joints, increase blood circulation, reduce swelling and congestion, and reduce pain.
Unfortunately, conservative therapy does not always bring the desired positive results, or the effect is only temporary. As a rule, cure is achieved in cases where the patient immediately consulted a doctor and the necessary treatment was quickly started. If a lot of time has passed since the injury, conservative methods may not help. Then you have to resort to surgery. Today, endoprosthetics, the replacement of a damaged prosthesis with an artificial one, is considered the safest, most accessible and effective. This method makes it possible to return a person to the ability to move normally and lead a normal lifestyle, without depending on others. It must be remembered that after surgery, you will have to undergo a recovery course, which includes taking prescribed medications, physical therapy, and the same massage.
The main symptoms of the disease are similar to those characteristic of any arthritis. For example, with post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint, there may be a crunch in the joint area that occurs during movement, the development of intense pain, and the affected area swells. Along with external manifestations, the patient may be concerned about a sharp increase in body temperature and the development of leukocytosis.
The disease may not appear immediately. In some cases, the main symptoms appear after a long period of time.
Post-traumatic arthritis of the ankle joint also develops as a result of repeated trauma, which disrupts the integrity of the blood vessels and increases friction on the surface of the joint. The result: thinning of cartilage tissue, decreased strength and slow destruction of cartilage.
Initially, the pain is dull and aching in nature. Unpleasant sensations occur even with slight twisting of the leg. In the future, the patient may begin to be bothered by the development of intense pain during walking or other minor physical activity.
The risk group includes professional athletes, dancers, overweight people, and women who constantly wear high heels.
Subsequently, it becomes difficult for the patient to go down or up the stairs, and joint deformation begins to manifest itself in the form of swelling at the site of the lesion.
The first stage of treatment is to provide rest to the affected joint. Next, the doctor prescribes certain groups of medications, the action of which is aimed at eliminating inflammation and reducing pain. As a maintenance treatment, long-term use of drugs from the group of chondroprotectors is prescribed, which contribute to the gradual restoration of damaged cartilage tissue.
In addition to taking medications, patients are prescribed electromagnetic therapy, massage, acupuncture, and manual therapy.
If medications and alternative treatments are ineffective, surgery may be required.
Treatment of post-traumatic arthritis of the knee joint requires an integrated approach. The doctor may prescribe:
The treatment regimen is selected individually for each patient, taking into account accompanying symptoms and individual characteristics of the body. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
First of all, the doctor prescribes treatment aimed at eliminating the effects of hemorrhage and restoring mobility of the affected joint. If there are no intra-articular injuries, then drug treatment is prescribed.
The main goal of treating the post-traumatic form of the disease is to normalize joint mobility, eliminate the inflammatory process and swelling. The following groups of drugs can be used during treatment:
During the treatment of the post-traumatic form of the disease, an important place is given to physical therapy. Important! If certain exercises are not performed in a timely manner, the affected joint may become stiff. This occurs due to the proliferation of bone tissue.
Exercises are performed only if intra-articular injuries, for example, a fracture, are not diagnosed. The load must be added gradually, taking into account the body's reaction. Before starting therapeutic exercises, you should use ointments or creams that have a warming effect: Capsicam, Finalgon, preparations that contain bee venom.
Post-traumatic arthrosis arthritis can develop as a serious complication if the patient has not completed the necessary course of treatment or the prescribed therapy is ineffective. The main manifestations of arthrosis-arthritis are the presence of dull, aching pain and limited joint mobility.
If conservative treatment is ineffective, surgery may be required. During the surgical operation, an endoprosthesis replacement procedure is performed to eliminate pain and restore joint mobility.
The patient must understand that treatment of post-traumatic arthritis and its complications is a rather lengthy and troublesome process. To achieve the best effect, strict adherence to all recommendations of the attending physician is required. During the rehabilitation process, overweight patients should focus their efforts on normalizing their weight. This will reduce the load on the affected joint and speed up the healing process.