Arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) refers to chronic diseases of the degenerative-dystrophic type, i.e., which lead to tissue destruction. In this case, the cartilaginous surfaces of the bones are destroyed, the functions of which are to reduce friction between the bones. Gonarthrosis is one of the most common forms of arthrosis. This is explained by the fact that the knee joint is subject to heavy loads, since it must provide movement of the leg and support body weight.
We have already talked about this disease in general on the website:
This article provides a detailed description of the 3rd degree of the disease.
Three degrees of arthrosis of the knee joint. Click on photo to enlarge
As the disease develops, the hyaline cartilage that covers the bones and serves as a shock absorber during movements becomes thinner, becomes cloudy, and then splits and cracks. There are only four stages or degrees of gonarthrosis. Stage 3 gonarthrosis is characterized by almost complete disappearance of cartilage, which exposes the bone and inflames the synovial membrane of the joint. A bone that has lost protection experiences excessive friction and is injured.
The body, trying to replace cartilage, gives the command to thicken the joint capsule and “grows” osteophytes on the surface of the bone. These are spiky bone formations that impede movement and contribute to the development of complete immobilization of the joint (contracture).
At the third stage of arthrosis, a significant decrease in the distance between the bones of the joint is also observed - these changes are clearly visible on an x-ray.
In complex cases, when motor activity is reduced to a minimum, there is a risk of complete fusion of the joint.
A sharp limitation in the patient’s ability to work often becomes the cause of his disability.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is diagnosed mainly in people over 40 years of age; women suffer from it twice as often as men. The first two stages of the disease are considered reversible and can be treated (or their development is stopped). The trouble is that gonarthrosis can be practically asymptomatic for a long time, until the moment when the disease can already be called advanced.
The disease can be caused by:
The main reason for the development of grade 3 gonarthrosis is a neglectful attitude towards the treatment of the disease in its initial stage. Restoring significantly deformed joints is a very difficult task, sometimes requiring surgical intervention.
Also, attempts to cure the disease at home can lead to the development of grade 3 knee arthrosis. The use of folk remedies is acceptable and encouraged, but they should complement and not replace the main methods of treatment.
With grade 3 gonarthrosis, all the symptoms of the early stages (stiffness and pain in the knee area, crunching when moving) intensify, and new ones are added to them. The pain becomes very strong, sometimes unbearable, and remains at rest. Patients are often forced to remain in bed, but even then they are not always able to find a position that is relatively pain-free for the leg.
The next most important symptom of grade 3 arthrosis is a significant limitation of joint mobility caused by its deformation. The patient has difficulty bending his leg even to an angle of 90 degrees and cannot fully straighten it. This limits the ability to walk normally. Sometimes a blockade of the knee joint develops when the affected leg cannot be bent or straightened.
Due to joint deformation due to arthrosis, the legs often take on an X- or O-shape, which causes gait disturbances.
Left – X-shaped legs, right – normal
Characteristic signs of grade 3 gonarthrosis also include:
Treatment methods for grade 3 gonarthrosis have similarities and differences with treatment methods for other degrees of the disease. As in the early stages, the following are used:
Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid and chondroprotectors designed to restore cartilage tissue, effective for grades 1 and 2 arthrosis, bring only temporary relief for grade 3 arthrosis.
At stage 3 of gonarthrosis, when the articular cartilage is almost destroyed and the bones have undergone significant changes, conservative treatment is not enough - in this case, surgical intervention is resorted to. Surgical treatment of gonarthrosis includes several technologies, of which two are most often practiced:
An operation to remove osteophytes and deformed bone elements. Such operations are low-traumatic and are performed using an arthroscope - an instrument that can be manipulated through several holes.
Endoprosthetics is the replacement of a damaged knee joint with an implant.
Much less frequently, arthrodesis (fixing a joint with fused bone surfaces) and arthrolysis (removal of bone adhesions and thickened synovial membranes in order to increase the range of motion in the joint) are performed.
Mild pain that occurs in the knee during exercise is often considered unworthy of attention, mistaking it for only temporary and minor discomfort. This misconception can be costly. By consulting a doctor in time and following all his recommendations, you will save yourself from developing the most severe form of arthrosis of the knee joint - grade 3 gonarthrosis. Take care of your health from a young age and be healthy!
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a degenerative disease characterized by the gradual loss of function of the articular cartilage. In response to this, an inflammatory process periodically occurs in the joint, which leads to deformation of the bone tissue.
Older people, athletes, and people engaged in active physical labor are susceptible to the occurrence of the disease. Osteoarthritis also often occurs after injury or inflammatory disease of the joint.
Treatment of the disease largely depends on the degree of arthrosis. It can be determined after examining the patient and taking x-rays of the joints.
The degree of arthrosis of the knee joint is determined using x-rays of the joint. However, before prescribing such a study, the doctor must make sure that it is necessary.
Diagnosis of deforming osteoarthritis begins with collecting complaints and examining the joint. Signs of the disease are:
The division into stages of arthrosis is only one of the possible classifications. When making a diagnosis, the doctor takes into account how much the disease limits the patient’s capabilities. This is how the functional class of the disease is established:
After collecting anamnesis and physical examination, the doctor will prescribe x-rays of the joints, which allows you to determine the stages of arthrosis.
Before treating osteoarthritis deformans, it is necessary to determine how affected the joint is. Arthrosis of the knee joint of the 1st degree has completely different recommendations for treatment than severe stages of the disease.
Experts have developed a classification of the disease based on radiological signs. To establish the pathology, it is necessary to take an x-ray of both knee joints, even if the patient is concerned about a unilateral process.
The following stages of arthrosis are possible according to the results of x-ray examination:
The degree of arthrosis influences the choice of treatment method. However, it is worth remembering that even grade 1 arthrosis cannot be completely cured with conservative methods. It is only possible to prevent the progression of the disease.
The attending physician decides which method should be used to treat each individual patient. In modern conditions, it is most rational to use a combination method of therapy, which involves a combination of several possible options:
Medicines for osteoarthritis serve as symptomatic therapy. With the help of medications, most symptoms of the disease can be eliminated. The use of the following medications is considered rational:
The attending physician should select the right remedy and the required dosage. If the medication leads to the development of side effects, it is necessary to discuss treatment adjustments with a specialist.
Physiotherapeutic treatment is often used to eliminate the symptoms of the disease and reduce the severity of the inflammatory syndrome. Methods useful for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint include:
The doctor prescribes the necessary physiotherapy depending on the presence of contraindications in the patient. Each technique can cause complications, so the doctor approaches the prescription of physiotherapy responsibly.
With expected loads on the joint, it is rational to limit the impact using bandages, braces and orthoses. They are classified depending on the rigidity of the product and the materials made.
The doctor and consultant in the orthopedic salon will help you choose the right bandage device.
You cannot wear orthoses all the time; their use leads to atrophy of muscle fibers. You should only wear a bandage when performing heavy loads or walking for a long time.
Physical therapy is one of the most important ways to treat arthrosis. With the first and second degrees of arthrosis, it is exercise therapy that helps prevent the progression of the disease. Exercises are also indicated for severe stages of the disease; you need to start with light loads.
Your doctor will help you choose a rational exercise regimen.
After completing the exercise therapy complex, it is worth stretching the muscles of the thigh and lower leg with a massage. The procedure will relieve spasm and reduce the severity of symptoms.
Starting from stage 3 of the disease, the doctor must evaluate the possibility of surgical treatment. Only surgery can eliminate the disease once and for all.
During the operation, joint plastic surgery or prosthetics is performed. After the intervention, the patient undergoes a rehabilitation complex.
Treatment of grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint , as a rule, involves the use of medication and surgical intervention, during which the necessary therapeutic measures are carried out to eliminate the consequences of the development of this type of lesion.
Arthrosis of the knee joint grade 3 is considered a late stage of the disease, which is characterized by the progression of some irreversible consequences.
Arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is an inflammatory disease of the articular surfaces of the musculoskeletal system, accompanied by the development of a destructive process within these joints.
With arthrosis of the knee, the following disorders occur:
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint grade 3 is characterized by the following symptoms:
Depending on the stage of development of the disease and the manifestation of characteristic symptoms, experts determine 4 degrees of progression of arthrosis of the knee joint.
The stages of development of gonarthrosis differ in the following factors:
However, patients need to remember that the diagnosis of grade 3 knee arthrosis, symptoms and treatment can only be established by the attending rheumatologist or orthopedist.
We will look at how to treat grade 3 knee arthrosis using a conservative medical method, since many patients are interested in whether grade 3 knee arthrosis can be treated without surgery.
Today, medicine has made great progress, yet pharmacological drugs help only as symptomatic treatment for established grade 3 gonarthrosis.
To eliminate acute symptoms of the disease, take the following medications:
Some rheumatologists believe that the use of chondroprotectors in grade 3 development of arthrosis of the knee joint is not justified, since the fibers of intra-articular cartilage are almost completely destroyed by the inflammatory process.
Other experts consider the use of hodroprotectors to be an integral part of drug therapy for grade 3 gonarthrosis, as this helps to support the synthesis of the remaining areas of intra-articular cartilage.
The negative aspects of drug treatment are represented by the following factors:
As you can see, when diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint, treatment for stage 3 disease development involves intensive drug therapy, and if conservative treatment methods are ineffective, the patient is recommended to undergo surgical intervention.
Physiotherapeutic treatment methods help achieve the following goals:
To achieve the above results, the following physiotherapy procedures are used:
Surgical treatment of grade 3 knee arthrosis is based on the use of the following surgical techniques:
Surgical intervention for stage 3 development of knee arthrosis is a highly effective method of therapy, and in some cases, the only possible way to restore the natural functionality of the lower limb.
The following disadvantages of surgical treatment of gonarthrosis are identified:
You can learn about the treatment of stage 3 gonarthrosis from this video:
Experts are of the opinion that with complex treatment, it is possible to save the knee even with the development of stage 3 arthrosis; however, restoring the normal functioning of the limb is only possible through a certain method of surgical intervention. To achieve positive results, follow the recommendations of your doctor. Take care of your health!
Despite the fact that many experts are skeptical that treatment for grade 3 knee joint gonarthrosis is ineffective , it is possible and necessary to combat joint destruction even in advanced forms of the disease. What happens at the last stage of the disease and why is treatment at this stage the most difficult?
What symptoms will help you seek professional help in a timely manner and make it possible to prevent negative consequences? Does modern medicine have effective methods of treatment and prevention of the last stage of gonarthrosis? We will answer these questions in detail.
Gonarthrosis is one of the types of arthrosis that affects the knee joints. In total, it is customary to distinguish three stages of pathology development. It is clear that it is much easier to defeat the disease at an early stage, because the degenerative processes that destroy the joint are just beginning. It is difficult to combat negative factors at the last stage, but it is possible if you approach the treatment of grade 3 gonarthrosis of the knee joints comprehensively and methodically .
Gonarthrosis begins with a malnutrition of cartilage tissue. These disorders are caused by various reasons: hormonal imbalances, age-related changes and general aging of the body, knee injuries or poor-quality rehabilitation after surgery. In reality, there are many reasons, and usually several negative factors provoke the onset of the disease.
So, the deterioration of the blood supply to hyaline cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber, reducing the friction force on the joint during movement of the knee, leads to the fact that the joint is deformed and overgrown with bone growths - osteophytes , trying to adapt to the new “rules of the game” without the support of cartilage. In parallel with this, the composition of the synovial fluid changes - it thickens, and therefore does not lubricate the joint well and practically does not nourish the cartilage tissue.
During movement, joints devoid of cartilage rub against each other, which causes severe pain. The less cartilage left, the stronger the pain and the faster the joint collapses.
Manifestations of the disease, that is, symptoms, will help to start treatment in a timely manner and prevent grade 3 gonarthrosis. True, not all patients respond to pain that appears while climbing stairs, or a feeling of tightness under the knee.
The discomfort that occurs during the first movements from a sitting position is a characteristic sign that the mechanism of destruction of the knee joint has been started . But most are in no hurry to make an appointment with a doctor, because the pain decreases and disappears after the person has “dispersed.”
All the initial symptoms of gonarthrosis - pain, slight limitation of mobility, swelling - become incredibly worse by the final stage of the disease. The pain becomes unbearable, and it is possible to get rid of it only for a short period of time with the help of strong painkillers. The knee almost completely stops bending. Lameness develops, and the joint increases in size and protrudes noticeably .
In addition to the listed symptoms, with gonarthrosis of the knee joint grade 3:
At all stages of pathology development, the same methods are used, only the chosen treatment for grade 3 gonarthrosis of the knee joints often turns out to be too ineffective, and therefore it is necessary to resort to endoprosthetics surgery - replacing the destroyed joint with an artificial analogue . This is the only method that can be avoided in the first and second stages.
Endoprosthetics are successfully performed not only abroad, but also in Russia. The operation is expensive, but you do not have to pay for it out of your own pocket. If you don’t have the financial means, but are pressed for time, you can get in line to receive a quota for a knee replacement. Upon receipt, the cost of endoprosthetics will be fully paid from the federal budget.
General methods of treating gonarthrosis include:
Traditionally, methods are used in combination, that is, along with taking medications, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures, diet changes, therapeutic exercise , etc. The treatment program is drawn up for each patient individually, because the choice of methods, specific medications and procedures depends on the condition of the knee joint, and also the reasons that caused the development of the disease.
One of the most effective options for combating an advanced disease is taking medications , despite the fact that their long-term use can cause side effects and negatively affect other organs. For this reason, it is prohibited to take the following medications on your own.
When treating grade 3 gonarthrosis, it is important to quickly relieve pain and swelling . Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs (ketoprofen, ibuprofen, piroxicam, etc.) cope well with this task. During exacerbations, hormones are prescribed - more radical drugs, so even a course of injections with them does not exceed 10 injections.
But chondroprotectors, which are indispensable at the first and second stages of gonarthrosis, are ineffective at the final stage, according to most experts. The task of drugs in this group is to restore cartilage tissue, but in the advanced form of the disease they no longer have anything to “work” with, because at best, fragments of the cartilage remain.
Modern development of medical technologies has led to the fact that the treatment of grade 3 gonarthrosis can be accompanied by physiotherapeutic procedures - laser therapy, electromyostimulation, shock wave therapy, etc.
Another effective additional component of treatment is massage . Physiotherapy has something in common with it in that both can improve blood circulation, relieve pain and swelling. In addition, with their help, many medications are better absorbed, which means they act more efficiently and quickly.
Physical therapy is an effective method in the treatment of gonarthrosis. The difficulty of using it at the third stage is that during exacerbations, exercises cannot be performed . And since at the final stage the exacerbations are permanent, it is unlikely that you will be able to find time for classes.
Traditional medicine offers hundreds, if not thousands of recipes for patients with gonarthrosis. But they really only work in combination with medications and exclusively in the early stages .
In advanced forms of the disease, ointments, balms, settings, compresses made from medicinal herbs and natural products can alleviate the patient’s suffering, but such drugs cannot penetrate deep into the tissue, which means they can only get rid of pain for a short period of time . Unfortunately, it will not be possible to restore the mobility of a deformed joint using grandma’s recipe.
The final stage of pathology development, when the patient loses the ability to move without the help of improvised means, results in a referral for a medical and social examination. You can also get disability at the second stage if the patient’s condition does not allow him to lead a normal lifestyle, and the pathology is rapidly developing, threatening to move to the final stage.
The third group of disability is given in cases where the patient, although limited in movement, is able to move independently with crutches or a cane, taking frequent breaks to rest. Complete loss of the ability to move and the need for help from other people when eating, dressing and other usual actions leads to the fact that a person becomes a group 1 disabled person .
Excessive loads on the joint also become provoking factors for the development of gonarthrosis , so it is important not only to monitor the condition of the cartilage tissue, but also to avoid excessive overload of the joint.
Preventive actions include:
It is difficult to treat grade 3 gonarthrosis of the knee joint, but in many cases it is still possible. If treatment turns out to be ineffective, for example, due to the patient’s age or the presence of chronic diseases, then endoprosthetics helps eliminate the problem. And although after the operation a long rehabilitation period is required (including special exercises to develop a new joint), after it it is possible to completely restore the mobility of the knee .
The final verdict on which treatment methods should be used will be made by the doctor after examination and diagnosis. Of course, more effort will have to be spent, and the effect will not be as guaranteed as when treating an unadvanced disease.
That is why we recommend not to hesitate at the first symptoms of the disease, but to urgently visit a therapist and insist on a referral to a rheumatologist and an x-ray. In this situation, it is better to be an “imaginary patient” than a “steadfast tin soldier” who, month after month, destroys his knee joints.
An old forgotten grandmother's method of TREATING JOINTS.
You just need to apply it.
If the sore knee looks deformed, swollen, and red, we can confidently speak of grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint. This fact only speaks of the carelessness of the patient, his negligent attitude towards his health. Timely treatment of grade 1 and 2 arthrosis almost always results in complete relief from this disease. But even if arthrosis progresses to degree 3, the knee joint can still be saved. But for this, treatment must be comprehensive, regular, and persistent. It can consist of a variety of techniques, techniques, approaches.
I would like to remind you once again of an important point. Arthrosis is a pathology of the cartilage covering of the articular bones, the so-called hyaline layer. There is another type of cartilage tissue in the knee. These are cartilage pads called the outer and inner menisci. But they have nothing to do with arthrosis of the knee joint.
The attending physician chooses the treatment strategy taking into account the moral state of the patient and the degree of neglect of the disease. It is the symptoms that will tell him ways to alleviate the patient’s suffering and improve the performance of the knee joint. There are several treatment methods, which are often used in combination. The main thing is persistence, desire, patience.
Treatment of grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint cannot be quick, easy, or painless.
Conservative treatment includes:
If conservative treatment is unable to put the patient back on his feet, then surgery is prescribed. During the procedure, the affected joint is replaced with an endoprosthesis. Now let's look at some types of conservative treatment in more detail.
Schematic comparison of a healthy knee joint and one affected by arthrosis.
Most doctors prefer tablets, injections, and ointments. But you need to understand that medications only muffle the symptoms of a diseased joint, but do not truly fight the causes of arthrosis. In addition, they have a very negative effect on other organs and systems of the patient. The most well-known drugs for relieving inflammation and pain symptoms are recognized - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These include Ketoprofen, Diclofenac, Naproxen, Indomecin, Ibuprofen and other drugs. In case of exacerbation of arthrosis of the knee joint, steroid (hormonal) drugs are used. Treatment with these drugs is carried out in the form of a course of injections (from 5 to 10), since the volume of the administered medication is strictly dosed.
Most often, glucocorticosteroids and simply corticosteroids are used for intra-articular injections.
For grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint, chondroprotectors are rarely prescribed. There will be no benefit from them, since the hyaline layer of cartilage has already undergone significant destruction. There is often simply nothing to restore. Expensive tablets will be ineffective at this stage.
To reduce knee pain, medicinal ointments and creams are prescribed. They will not heal arthrosis and coxarthrosis, but they will improve the patient’s well-being. If there is no swelling from synovitis, then you can use warming ointments: Menovazin, Gevkamen, Espol and other similar drugs. Treatment of an inflamed knee joint is carried out using Fastum-gel, Voltaren-gel, Dolgit and other non-steroidal ointments.
For many centuries, our ancestors have been using folk remedies to treat various joint diseases. All of them are tested by time and practice. Here are some recipes.
Application. Rub into the sore knee before going to bed. Be sure to insulate with a shawl or woolen scarf. Leave overnight. In the morning, wash with warm water and soap.
Application. Lubricate your hands with any vegetable oil (so that the honey does not stick to them) and carefully rub the mixture into the sore knee. This procedure should be performed several times during the day and before bed.
Application: smear the area of the sore knee joint with the drug at night. Be sure to wrap the treated area with a woolen cloth. In the morning, wash off the remaining ointment with warm water and soap. Repeat every evening for several days.
Symptoms of grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint are very painful, and treatment is long, painful, and expensive. Sometimes surgery may be required. Often the patient is given a disability status. You can't let the disease get so bad. Treatment must be started promptly.
Overweight people are at risk of developing knee arthrosis. And many other chronic diseases can be caused by this problem.
To combat obesity, you can use different methods: diets, aerobics, and the use of appetite suppressants.
Six points that include complex therapy for grade 3 knee joint gonarthrosis (the links are clickable and lead to the relevant sections of the article):
Timely initiation of conservative treatment and punctual adherence to medical recommendations helps the patient to significantly improve the condition of the knee joints, reduce the severity of all typical symptoms of osteoarthritis and avoid expensive and complex arthroplasty surgery.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! The only remedy for JOINT PAIN, arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, recommended by doctors! Read more.
At stage 3 of the disease, medications must be prescribed to cope with unpleasant symptoms.
The presence of exacerbation of gonarthrosis is indicated by pain at rest, swelling and redness of the joint.
The need for strong analgesics (tramadol) more often occurs with stage 3 disease and with exacerbations of gonarthrosis, although the intensity of pain does not always directly depend on the degree of destruction of the structures of the knee joint.
After the exacerbation has been relieved, treatment with all of the above medications should be stopped: NSAIDs and glucocorticoids have many negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract and can worsen the condition of already suffering cartilage; and tramadol is addictive.
(if the table is not completely visible, scroll to the right)
Paracetamol and coxibs improve the quality of life of patients, but do not protect joint tissue from further destruction and do not stop the progression of the disease.
They cope with these tasks:
Chondroprotectors are indicated for patients with any degree of osteoarthritis. For patients with stage 3 disease who do not get complete relief from tablet medications, hyaluronic acid injections can be a real salvation from pain and poor mobility in the knees.
Gonarthrosis cannot be cured without leaving a trace, like a cold. But with the help of properly selected exercises, diet, orthopedic shoes and knee pads, you can achieve a significant improvement in your well-being, even without medications.
Non-drug treatment methods are relevant and the same for any degree of gonarthrosis.
Physical exercises have a good therapeutic effect - but not any exercise, but only those in which there is no static load on the joint. For gonarthrosis of the knees, the “bicycle” exercise, cycling, walking, and swimming are useful.
Regular exercises with a gradual increase in the load on the affected limb lead to a significant reduction in pain and increased mobility in the joint. The key to the success of physical therapy is regularity of training.
Of the physiotherapeutic methods that help to cope with pain due to grade 3 gonarthrosis (as, indeed, any other):
Excess weight is one of the key reasons for the development of gonarthrosis and the rapid deterioration of joint condition with it. By reducing excess weight by just 5 kg, you will reduce the likelihood of developing the disease by 50% and significantly slow down its progression (if you are already sick).
If you are overweight, your rheumatologist will recommend a special diet with a reduced calorie content and a reduced content of simple carbohydrates and fats.
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.
In situations where conservative treatment does not help, the patient is offered surgery - knee replacement. Modern endoprostheses are made to individual measurements from biologically compatible materials; they take root well and withstand decades of active use.
High-quality prostheses can almost completely restore the range of motion in a joint typical of a healthy person and significantly improve the quality of life for many, many years.
Typically, prosthetic treatment is recommended for patients with grade 3 gonarthrosis with pronounced changes in the knee joints, which cause chronic pain and sometimes complete immobility of the joint.
My final message to patients: gonarthrosis can and should be treated. Go to a rheumatologist. Proper treatment can completely relieve a person of pain, restore a significant amount of mobility in the joints and, in general, make life with gonarthrosis full and active.
Author: Elena Zelver
If up to this point you have not consulted a doctor with complaints, and have attributed your symptoms to bad weather conditions, recent injury, fatigue, or frostbite, it’s time to find an excellent specialist and consult. At stage 3, gonarthrosis makes itself felt as:
When diagnosed with grade 3 knee gonarthrosis, in most cases both knees are affected, but there are exceptions.
The sooner you see a doctor, the better for you. Thus, untimely detection of the problem can lead to the complete disappearance of cartilage tissue, joint deformation and bone exposure. All this in the future will interfere with any movement of the patient and, at best, will lead to prosthetics, and at worst, to disability and complete immobility of the knee.
It is quite difficult to return the knee joints to their former activity at stage 3 of gonarthrosis, but with the help of a qualified experienced specialist and the great desire of the patient himself, everything is possible. Treatment will be aimed not only at relieving discomfort and pain, but also at returning the knee to its former mobility and preventing the occurrence of inflammation. If medical treatment, drugs and other methods do not help, you will have to resort to surgery.
At the beginning of treatment, the doctor will prescribe medications to relieve swelling, which will also reduce pain. After this, the patient can begin performing gymnastics, physical therapy, massage, and physiotherapeutic procedures. If at stages 1 and 2 intramuscular administration of hyaluronic acid is excellent, then at stage 3 they can only temporarily alleviate the patient’s condition. A mandatory item for each patient is to walk with the support of a cane or crutches, which will help to significantly reduce the load on the sore limb.
The surgical method is most effective for severe diseases when no other treatment brings the desired results. If you are diagnosed with grade 3 knee gonarthrosis, your attending physician may send you to:
When treating grade 3 gonarthrosis, the patient must reduce physical stress on the joint and move up and down the stairs as little as possible so as not to worsen his condition. If you have any complaints during the treatment and rehabilitation process, contact your doctor immediately.
Want to get the same treatment, ask us how?
The main reasons for the development of gonarthrosis:
Clinical symptoms of grade 3 gonarthrosis:
Diagnostic methods for grade 3 gonarthrosis:
When examining a patient with grade 3 gonarthrosis, an orthopedic doctor must palpate the knee joint, take linear measurements of the bones, and perform angular measurements (determine the degree of mobility of the affected knee joint at various angles).
X-ray signs of grade 3 gonarthrosis:
How to treat grade 3 knee gonarthrosis?
Step No. 1 – Relieving inflammation in the joint
To stop the inflammatory process in the knee joint, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. They can be prescribed in the form of intravenous or intramuscular injections, suppositories or tablets.
NSAIDs for the treatment of gonarthrosis:
Long-term use of drugs in this group can have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the liver and kidneys, especially if the patient has chronic diseases. If the patient does not tolerate drugs of this group well, or there are complications in the gastrointestinal tract or kidneys, then it is advisable to prescribe selective COX-2 inhibitors (nimesulide, meloxicam, celecoxib).
For gonarthrosis complicated by synovitis, systemic therapy includes hormonal agents - glucocorticoids. In order to achieve a quick and pronounced effect (reduction of pain, increase in the amplitude of active movements in the joint), intra-articular administration of glucocorticoids (kenalog, hydrocortisone, diprospan) is indicated. Glucocorticoid drugs should be used with extreme caution, as they have a negative effect on cartilage tissue and have many side effects and contraindications.
For gonarthrosis of the knee joints, antienzyme drugs (Gordox, Contrical, Ovomin) can be used. They neutralize the synthesis of proteolytic enzymes and prevent degenerative changes in joint tissues. Antienzyme drugs for gonarthrosis should be administered inside the affected knee joint.
Step No. 2 - Stimulate the anabolic and anti-catabolic effect
Preparations from the group of chondroprotectors contain substances that are part of the cartilage tissue of the joint. These medications are natural in their chemical composition and are well tolerated by the body. Medicines have a highly specific effect and stimulate the biochemical processes of collagen synthesis.
Chondroprotectors for the treatment of gonarthrosis:
Chondroprotectors act very slowly in the human body, and therefore must be used in long courses. Medicines are prescribed in the form of tablets or injections. Chondroprotectors are prescribed with caution to patients with a tendency to stone formation.
Step No. 3 – We smear the knee, rub it, warm it up
For gonarthrosis, local therapy is widely used - gels, creams and ointments are applied to the knee joint area. They have a warming and anti-inflammatory effect. The main purpose of using these drugs for gonarthrosis of the knee joints is to activate metabolic processes and local blood circulation in the tissues of the joint, as well as relieve signs of inflammation.
Medicines for topical use for gonarthrosis:
Step No. 4 – Improve metabolism and blood circulation
When the knee joints are affected, vasodilators are used. They reduce increased intravascular muscle tone. Medicines in this group (Cavinton, Actovegin, Trental) improve internal blood flow and trophism of tissues located near the knee joint.
For gonarthrosis, drugs are used to strengthen the vascular wall of the knee joint:
Step No. 5 - Eliminate increased muscle tone
In case of severe morning stiffness of the joints, the patient is prescribed muscle relaxants (mydocalm, sirdalud, baclofen, no-spa, tizalud). These medications help relieve increased muscle tension in the affected knee joint, which is the body's compensatory response to pain and inflammation.
Step No. 6 – “Prostheses” of synovial fluid
In recent years, one of the most modern and effective methods of conservative treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joints is the intra-articular administration of drugs based on hyaluronic acid. It is a natural component of the synovial fluid of the knee joint and its articular cartilage. Hyaluronic acid injected into the joint does not cause rejection, as well as adverse and allergic reactions.
Hyaluronic acid introduced internally allows you to soften movements in the joint. It reduces pain in the knee during movement (pain in the knee occurs when the joint surfaces rub).
Hyaluronic acid preparations can be administered only after the inflammation in the knee joint has been completely relieved.
The following proprietary methods are used in the treatment of gonarthrosis:
These methods have proven to be effective ways to maintain knee joints in a functional state, but they cannot completely cure gonarthrosis. In addition, oxygen therapy, which involves injecting medical oxygen into the joint, has found widespread use in the treatment of the disease. It reduces pain and eliminates tissue swelling. This treatment method can be used instead of hormonal therapy.
Recently, stem cell transplantation has become increasingly used in the treatment of various diseases. The essence of this method is that stem cells are injected into the knee joint. This treatment method is very effective, but is rare and expensive, used only in large clinics in Germany.
Grade 3 gonatrosis of the knee joint is the last stage of the disease, in which the articular cartilage is almost completely destroyed, and movements in the knee joint are severely limited or impossible. Conservative therapy at this stage of the disease in most cases does not produce a positive effect, and therefore surgical intervention is indicated for the patient.
The effect of the operation lasts for 20 years, it all depends on the modification of the prosthesis. Over time, under the influence of axial and various mechanical loads, the artificial prosthesis becomes loose, and therefore it has to be replaced.
Such complications occur quite rarely (about 1% of the total number of surgical interventions). Endoprosthetics for stage 3 disease is sometimes the only way to significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.
Physiotherapy methods for the treatment of gonarthrosis:
Diet therapy for grade 3 knee joint gonarthrosis consists primarily of weight loss. The patient's diet for this disease should be varied, but with a limitation of easily digestible carbohydrates and fats. The patient's daily menu should include natural components of cartilage tissue: the patient is recommended to eat jellied meat, jelly, and meat and bone broth. It is necessary to exclude irritating substances from food - smoked, spicy, salty, spicy foods, coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol.
Gonarthrosis of the knee joints is a chronic disease that very often leads to disability of the patient. All treatment methods can only achieve remission and slow down the progression of the disease for some time. If a patient develops severe deformities and ankylosis with irreversible dysfunction of the joints, endoprosthetics is indicated.
Symptoms of grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint are similar to the previous two, are pronounced, and bring a lot of concern to the owners:
Early stages of the disease can be treated without problems; with the third degree of arthrosis, things are much more serious. It is problematic to restore mobility and the previous state to the destroyed cartilage of the knee joint; more often the patient is assigned a disability group. Medicine offers treatment options for such serious diseases.
Initially, the doctor’s and patient’s efforts are directed toward eliminating pain, fighting the inflammatory process, and then toward restoring the joint. To cope with the disease, you will need a competent comprehensive treatment plan. If the treatment does not provide the desired result, the patient remains to go to the surgeon’s table, who will perform joint replacement.
The direction of physical therapy - isometric kinesiotherapy - has become popular. Exercises are used to treat arthrosis. There are left-sided, right-sided types, both limbs. By performing the exercises, you achieve the following:
Exercises will help a person move without feeling severe pain.
After completing the course of therapy, the doctor will create a set of exercises that you will need to do at home yourself. Exercise will help prevent pain attacks. There is no need to assign disability.
If the treatment does not produce results, the patient seeks medical help in a too advanced state, when it is difficult to correct it with medication, the attending doctor will give a referral for surgery. Depending on the degree of development of the knee joint disease and the goals to be achieved, types of surgical operations are offered:
After the operation, rehabilitation is important, which is carried out under the constant supervision of a doctor. Movements of the operated joint are carried out constantly, special exercises are selected that strengthen the muscles. Rehabilitation takes six months.
The first time after the operation, the patient moves with the help of crutches, which will gradually be replaced by a cane. It is important to follow the suggested exercises. Don't think that they will be replaced by simple walking. The more accurately the treatment is performed, the more positive the result. It is recommended to move carefully on the stairs.
Changes in the knee joint must be reported to the doctor; the risk of damage to a vessel or nerve increases. The implant wears out and requires replacement; the better quality and more expensive it is, the longer the service, the more reliable the treatment.
Treatment of arthrosis, which is offered by traditional medicine, should not be ignored. They are unlikely to be able to stand on their feet, but they can relieve the pain.
To relieve swelling, make compresses from a mixture of red and blue clay, which is diluted with water until the consistency of sour cream is obtained.
A compress made from vinegar, honey, then covered with a leaf of cabbage, burdock, and aloe will relieve swelling and pain. The structure is insulated at night.
A massage using honey will relieve pain. Before the procedure, the knee joint is warmed up.
When treating gonarthrosis, you should not stop at one method. Here, the recommended option would be comprehensive treatment that will help avoid disability.
Treatment usually depends on the stage of the disease. At stages 1 and 3 it is very different, but at stage 4 it is practically not amenable to conservative methods of correction:
Knee braces can be used from stage 2 of the disease, but they have a different design and are aimed at normalizing the position of the joint and relieving pain.
If you are lucky and the disease was found at stages 1-2, then you should immediately discuss with your doctor the possibility of using special foods and folk remedies in your diet for treatment.
Recipes using specific foods and herbs can enhance drug therapy and physical therapy. In terms of effectiveness, when used regularly, they can be compared with high-quality massage for gonarthrosis of the knee joint.
It is important to follow an effective diet that will enhance the effect of the recipes: it should contain a lot of foods with calcium, as well as dishes based on decoctions of bones, jelly with animal gelatin.
However, there should not be too many protein foods; some doctors advise completely eliminating meat and milk, sour vegetables and fruits, and tomatoes. In any case, an individual diet is discussed with the doctor.
As for salt, it should be small, but there is no need to eliminate the product completely.
After normalizing your diet, you can begin to use products that help increase blood flow and have a positive effect on cartilage tissue, inhibiting degenerative processes in it.
Most often, treatment for gonarthrosis of the knee joint begins with both rubbing and compresses to relieve swelling, pain and inflammation. If you follow a rational diet, the following recipes will be most effective:
In parallel, it is necessary to carry out drug treatment to eliminate inflammation, pain and other processes characteristic of the disease.
But is it possible to play sports? The answer will depend on the type of physical activity desired . But exercise therapy for gonarthrosis of the knee joint is indicated for almost all patients with grade 1 and 2 disease.
This orthopedic accessory is prescribed to prevent complications of the disease and restore the position of the joint.
The knee brace secures the joint and also helps relieve pain . Additionally, the accessory helps blood circulation and stimulates the regeneration of cartilage tissue.
You need to wear it for 2-3 hours on the advice of your doctor . It should be used during movement, for example, combined with physical activity.
The product should sit comfortably on the leg and not put too much pressure on the knee. You need to select strictly according to size, measuring the circumference of your leg above and below the knee by 15 cm.
During an acute period of gonarthrosis of the knee joint, you cannot do gymnastics; complete rest is necessary . Exercises are introduced into the regime gradually, starting with the simplest ones.
The first sessions should be carried out with the patient lying on his back. They usually look like simply raising your straightened legs up and holding them in that position.
All exercises must be performed very smoothly and carefully. The first lesson time is no more than 10 minutes. Every day, add 2 minutes to the main time, gradually increasing the range of movements.
All exercises are shown by a rehabilitation specialist and exercise therapy trainer, only after which you can perform them yourself at home.
For gonarthrosis of the knee joint, exercises such as squats, bending and straightening the knees, long walking, and any movements that provoke pain are contraindicated.
At stages 3 and 4 of the disease, you cannot do exercise therapy and yoga. Many doctors generally prohibit the use of eastern yoga practices for joint destruction.
For the first degree of gonarthrosis of the knee, exercises aimed at improving blood circulation are most effective:
For grade 2 gonarthrosis, this complex can also be used . Ideally, any physical therapy exercises should be prescribed by the doctor who is treating you.