Therapy of knee arthrosis

Introduction

A wide range of methods are used in the treatment of knee arthrosis. Basically, a distinction is made between conservative and operative procedures. Conservative therapy, which is the subject of this page, aims to minimize the pain of those affected, to stop inflammatory processes in the joint and to improve the mobility and resilience of the joint.

Various approaches are used to achieve this: painkillers such as NSAIDs and possibly cortisone are prescribed, physiotherapy is performed, and thermal and electrotherapy are applied. Acupuncture can also be helpful. Only when all these treatment concepts no longer bring about any improvement will surgery be considered.

You can find information on surgical treatment at Knee Arthrosis SurgeryThere are various options available to a physician for the treatment of knee joint arthrosis. The decision between these options depends on the individual circumstances of the person affected, especially their age and the severity of the disease. Normally, therapy for knee arthrosis begins conservatively, i.e. without surgical intervention.

It is important to know that there is no therapy to date to really cure knee arthrosis. All measures are limited to alleviating the patient’s symptoms, reducing stiffness in the joint and slowing or preventing further progression of the disease. With regard to these areas of application, however, the therapeutic techniques mentioned below all have a high success rate.

An essential component of the conservative therapy of knee arthrosis is drug treatment. This has two main goals: Different groups of painkillers are used in the treatment of knee arthrosis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used particularly frequently.

These include common preparations such as acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen or diclofenac. They have both anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. Their name comes from the fact that they are to be distinguished from cortisone and similar preparations, which have a steroidal structure.

Cortisone has a particularly positive effect on the inflammatory reaction and has less effect on pain. The cortisone injection is well suited for injection. In contrast to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are usually taken in tablet form, cortisone is usually injected directly into the affected joint in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

This has the advantage that the systemic side effects are limited (which is why a local anaesthetic is sometimes added to reduce the spread of the drug with the blood), which can be very pronounced and serious with regular use of cortisone. Apart from NSAIDs, other painkillers can also be used, but these do not have a positive effect on the inflammatory processes, for example paracetamol. Common to all drugs used in knee arthrosis therapy is that they should only be used for a short period of time if possible.

  • On the one hand the reduction of pain and
  • On the other hand, the weakening of the inflammatory reaction, which often plays a major role in the clinical picture of knee joint arthrosis.

Apart from medication, physiotherapy is the main focus in knee joint arthrosis. In the early stages of osteoarthritis, physiotherapy alone can often lead to a complete resolution of the pain. Care must be taken to ensure that only exercises that are easy on the joints are performed, which is why, at least at the beginning, a plan should be worked out with a doctor or physiotherapist and instead of acting independently.

In addition to reducing pain, physiotherapy also serves to promote mobility in the joint and stimulate the build-up of muscles, thus also strengthening the joint. Some stretching exercises can also prove to be very useful in this disease. Some sports (see knee arthrosis and sports) can also help prevent the progression of knee joint arthrosis, including swimming and cycling in particular.

Above all, it is important that the knee is not completely immobilized. Many patients also benefit from so-called thermotherapy. For some patients, warmth is particularly beneficial.Other patients, especially those who suffer mainly from the inflammatory component of knee arthrosis, prefer cold treatment, which can be carried out using cold air or packs of mud or cold clay, for example.

Another component of conservative therapy for knee arthrosis may be acupuncture, which, according to several studies, is also able to have a positive effect on arthrosis. Electrotherapy is also becoming increasingly popular. Here, electrodes are attached to the patient’s skin and then low-frequency electrical currents are sent through the skin with a small device.

This is also known as TENS: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. The excitation of the nerves weakens the transmission of pain signals. In addition, the blood circulation of the tissue is stimulated and thus its regeneration is boosted.

Sometimes orthopedic measures can be used as a supplement. These include, for example, aids such as walking sticks, buffer heels and/or special shoes or insoles which are intended to help relieve the joint and thus make walking easier and less painful. Only if all these conservative treatments fail should surgery for knee arthrosis be considered.