What is osteoarthritis There are several types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, and tuberculous arthritis. Osteoarthritis is also called degenerative arthritis, proliferative arthritis, hypertrophic arthritis, and age-related arthritis. Because the knee joint usually carries the most weight and has the most activities, the incidence of osteoarthritis of the knee joint is the highest. According to incomplete statistics, about 60% of middle-aged and elderly people over 55 years of age suffer from this disease, and about 80% of those over 70 years of age suffer from this disease. Some of them have no obvious symptoms but can be detected by knee radiographs. After menopause in older women, the ovaries gradually shrink and estrogen secretion decreases, which affects the metabolism of calcium in the bones and joints, so the incidence is even higher than in older men of the same age. Primary osteoarthritis of the knee joint is divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary osteoarthritis is a long-term activity of the knee joint of the elderly, like a grinding wheel often rotating each other wear, so that the bone and cartilage aging degenerative changes, and gradually formed bone spur-like hyperplasia. Secondary osteoarthritis is the result of trauma, fractures, dislocations, and other diseases of the knee joint, resulting in osteophytes in the bone and cartilage, and changes in the physiological function of the knee joint. Overweight, improper walking and working posture are often the causes of this disease. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a chronic disease that may be asymptomatic in the early stages, but gradually becomes painful and stiff. The pain is often accompanied by changes in posture in daily life, such as when squatting, turning, standing up after sitting for a long time, or going up and down stairs. After a few moments of activity, the stiffness and pain are relieved, but when the activity is vigorous, the leg feels uncomfortable again, and there is a popping and rough rubbing sensation and friction sound. When the disease continues to develop until the joint cartilage disappears and the bone under the cartilage is exposed, the pain becomes persistent, and the pain is felt even when walking on a flat surface, and when sleeping at night, the leg feels inappropriate wherever it is placed, and sometimes wakes up with pain after sleeping, and the knee joint has redness, swelling and fluctuation, which is a manifestation of joint effusion. This indicates that the condition is more serious and should be examined and treated in a hospital in time. How to prevent and treat osteoarthritis of the knee Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the most common joint diseases in the elderly, and is also the main cause of disability in the elderly, which seriously affects the quality of life of the elderly, and patients are very distressed. Therefore, the active prevention and treatment of this disease is a major issue in the daily life of the elderly and should not be taken lightly. 1, try to avoid obesity, to prevent aggravating the burden of the knee joint, once the body is overweight, we must actively lose weight, control weight. 2, pay attention to walking and labor posture, do not twist the body to walk and work. Avoid squatting for a long time, because the weight of the knee joint when squatting is 3 to 6 times its own weight, squatting at work (such as car mechanics, sand turners) is best changed to a low sitting position (sitting on a small bench), sitting and standing for a long time, but also often change positions to prevent the knee joint fixed a posture and excessive force. 3, do not wear high heels when walking long distances, wear thick-soled and flexible soft-soled shoes to reduce the impact on the knee joint, to avoid wear and tear on the knee joint. 4, when participating in physical exercise should be well prepared activities, gently stretch the knee joint, so that the knee joint fully active before participating in strenuous exercise. When practicing leg press, do not lift your leg too high to prevent excessive strain on the knee joint. When practicing taijiquan, do not squat too low, and do not play several sets in a row to prevent injury to the knee joint from being overburdened. 5, when riding a bicycle, to adjust the height of the seat, to sit on the seat of the two feet in the pedals, both legs can be straight or slightly bent for the appropriate, the seat is too high, too low or riding uphill when pedaling hard, the knee joint have adverse effects, should be overcome. 6, the knee joint encounter cold, vasoconstriction, blood circulation becomes worse, often making the pain worse, so in cold weather should pay attention to keep warm, if necessary, wear a knee brace to prevent the knee joint from cold. 7. People with osteoarthritis of the knee should try to walk up and down stairs, climb less, stand less, and lift less heavy objects to avoid overloading the knee joint and aggravating the condition. 8, people with osteoarthritis of the knee, both to avoid excessive fatigue of the knee joint, but also to carry out appropriate functional exercise to increase the stability of the knee joint, to prevent muscle atrophy of the leg, which not only relieves joint pain, but also prevents the progress of the disease, do not think that only rest and inactivity to protect the diseased knee joint. According to research, people with knee osteoarthritis, swimming and walking are the best exercises that do not increase the weight-bearing capacity of the knee joint, but also allow the muscles and ligaments around the knee joint to be exercised. Secondly, sit-ups, push-ups, bridge arches and the repeated practice of raising and lowering the two retreats on the supine bed, imitating pedaling a bicycle, are the best exercises for patients. 9, in terms of diet, should eat more food containing protein, calcium, collagen, isoflavones, such as milk, dairy products, soybeans, soy products, eggs, fish and shrimp, kelp, black fungus, chicken feet, pig’s feet, leg of lamb, beef tendons, etc. These can not only supplement protein, calcium, prevent osteoporosis, but also grow cartilage and joint lubricating fluid, but also supplement estrogen, so that the bones and joints better calcium metabolism and reduce the symptoms of arthritis. 10, in terms of treatment, once the knee joint pain, we must actively treat, take hot compresses, physical therapy massage and other simple therapy, it can control the symptoms, such as pain still can not stop, under the guidance of doctors, can take anti-inflammatory pain, inflammation and pain Xikang, Fotalin, ibuprofen, Fenbid, etc.. At the same time, some pain relief sprays and creams can be used externally. Glucophage capsules (glucosamine) are effective for this disease and need to be taken for a long time to be effective. If the disease does not improve with medication, and it affects walking and daily life, it can be treated with arthroscopic technology in a large hospital, or joint replacement can be done to restore joint function and maintain a good quality of life.