Osteophytes of the knee are a bone disease that is more common in middle-aged and elderly people and more common in women than men. Patients suffering from osteophytes of the knee suffer from pain, stiffness, swelling and limited movement. Early prevention of osteophytes of the knee is important, but rehabilitation care should not be ignored. A. Symptoms of osteophytes of the knee joint Which symptoms suggest that you have osteophytes of the knee joint? Pain Localized pressure pain can occur in the knee joint, especially when there is inflammatory exudation in the synovial membrane, and even if there is no pressure pain, there will be obvious pain when the affected knee joint moves passively. The pain may be aggravated by the amount of movement of the joint, and different symptoms occur in different areas when different lesions are involved. Stiffness Stiffness of the joint sometimes accompanies acute painful episodes, and occasionally an abrasive sound may be detected in the joint. Some people call it “rest pain” because the stiffness increases after prolonged sitting and improves after a little activity. Swelling Swelling of the joint is common and is caused by synovial effusion, especially in the knee joint. Sometimes the bone ends may be thickened due to bone growth, and sometimes a cystic mass may develop. Popping A popping sound during knee flexion and extension activities, probably due to cartilage damage and unevenness of the joint surface, is the most common symptom in patients with osteophytes of the knee. Restricted movement The range of motion of the joint is reduced, probably due to contracture of the muscles, ligaments and joint capsule around the knee joint, structural abnormalities such as osteophytes, etc. Second, it can be divided into the following 3 periods The most significant manifestation of joint osteophytes is discomfort, pain and swelling in one or both joints. Knee osteophytes can be divided into the following 3 periods: Initial period Generally, the pain is caused by walking, jogging, going up and down stairs, standing for a long time, squatting, running or accompanied by joint popping and joint extension and flexion dysfunction, which is relieved after resting or lying in bed. In middle-aged and elderly people, the pain is usually accompanied by morning stiffness. In the middle stage, the pain may increase when the weather is cold or wet, or when you get up in the morning, or when you walk for a long time, or when you have numbness and stiffness in the knee joint during strenuous exercise, but it gets better after a little activity. In the later stage, swelling of the knee joint, joint effusion, difficulty in going up and down stairs, knee weakness when going down stairs, easy to fall down. Pain and stiffness when squatting, joint pain, swelling and limping in severe cases, morning stiffness and gluing after sitting for a long time, joint extension and flexion dysfunction, stretching and flexion activities with popping sounds, joint effusion and significant local swelling are seen in some patients. Third, do not ignore the rehabilitation care measures Once suffering from osteophytes of the knee, patients should pay attention to the following aspects: combination of work and rest Avoid excessive knee joint activity, excessive weight bearing and strain, avoid prolonged in a certain position, do not sit or stand for a long time. You should move your joints properly and not walk excessively, especially up and down steps and on uneven roads. Special attention should be paid to those who often do strenuous exercise of both lower limbs, such as dancers, athletes, and porters, to prevent tissue damage due to excessive force. When a fracture occurs around the knee joint, it is important to seek medical attention in a timely manner so that the fracture end can be anatomically repositioned as much as possible. If the repositioning is not satisfactory, surgery should be performed in a timely manner, otherwise traumatic arthritis is likely to occur and lead to osteophytes in the joint. If there is an “O” or “X” deformity in both lower extremities, femoral or tibial osteotomy can be considered to correct the abnormal force line and change the uneven force on the knee joint to prevent osteophytes and osteoarthrosis due to uneven force on the knee joint for a long time. and osteoarthrosis. Obese people need to pay attention to weight control Those who are overly obese should control their diet and keep their weight within the appropriate range to reduce the weight bearing on the joint to reduce the pressure and wear on the knee joint. Supplementation of knee bone nutrition Older adults can take appropriate supplements of calcium and vitamin D, which are closely related to bone metabolism, along with moderate physical exercise to slow down the aging and degenerative process of bone tissue. However, the more recommended bone and joint nutrients for middle-aged and elderly people are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Glucosamine is the basic substance that builds bone joints, but as we age, especially after the age of 50, the aminosaccharide in bone joints decreases, while chondroitin sulfate can inhibit the development process of osteophytes. Adhere to exercise exercise Choose and adhere to the exercise style suitable for you. For example, strengthen the knee strength exercise: straight leg raise, weighted straight leg raise, short arc weighted straight leg raise, long arc weighted straight leg raise, or strengthen the knee joint range of motion training, etc. Strengthen the knee joint insulation In seasonal changes, rainy weather and cooler weather in the morning and evening, you should add and remove clothing in time to avoid the lower extremities from getting cold or getting cold water. Pay attention to the knee joint warmth, try to wear long pants (elderly people can wear knee pads, on the one hand to keep warm, on the other hand to prevent knee injuries), do not expose the knee joint directly to the cold air. Hot compresses Hot towels can be used to improve blood circulation, relieve knee discomfort, relieve knee pain and muscle spasm, and reduce swelling. However, stop applying hot compresses if the joint is red and swollen. Use with caution for people with high blood pressure and heart disease, and even more so in summer when the temperature is high (stop applying heat during the acute phase).