Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common chronic degenerative osteoarthropathy, also known as proliferative knee osteoarthritis and age-related knee osteoarthritis. It is most common in middle-aged and elderly people, and is more common in women than men. It mainly causes joint pain, stiffness, deformity and dysfunction, which can affect people’s daily life in severe cases. As the name implies, degenerative arthritis is the result of degenerative changes in the knee joint. How is degenerative knee osteoarthritis treated? Degenerative knee arthritis has a slow onset and is characterized by degenerative changes in the cartilage of the knee joint, most of which can be treated aggressively to improve joint function. During an acute attack of degenerative arthritis, the primary treatment is rest. Special emphasis is placed on adequate rest of the affected joint. The pressure on the joint or excessive activity often aggravates the wear and tear of the articular cartilage. Appropriate limitation of the activity of the affected joint not only reduces pain but also prevents aggravation of the disease, but bed rest is not advisable. Once the symptoms of arthritis are eliminated, exercise of the affected joint should be resumed as soon as possible. Prolonged bed rest or braking can aggravate bone calcium loss, muscle atrophy, and contribute to increased osteophytes. In general, the treatment of degenerative knee osteoarthritis is based on different treatment options for different periods of the disease. 1. Conservative treatment In the early stage of symptoms, the main focus is on prevention, regulating the amount of exercise, avoiding strenuous activities, taking oral medications to repair joint cartilage, and physical therapy, which uses cold compresses, heat therapy and exercise to reduce pain in the affected area, as well as strengthening the muscles around the joint and expanding the range of motion to restore joint function. Physiotherapy is very effective in relieving the patient’s pain and controlling the disease in a timely manner, and is very effective when combined with medication. However, it is important to note that physical therapy must be performed under the guidance of a professional physician, and not blindly massage or massage. Chinese herbal medicine has a pain-relieving effect on degenerative arthritis, but the mechanism of treatment has yet to be further studied. 2.Arthroscopic cleanup Suitable for the middle stage, in addition to the above treatment, arthroscopic cleanup can be performed at this stage to effectively delay joint degeneration; at the same time, a large amount of saline flushing, in addition to the removal of inflammatory pain-causing substances, can effectively relieve pain, if at the same time intra-articular injection of artificial lubricants such as gibberellic acid, sodium vitrate and other joint protection, the effect is very good. 3, high tibial osteotomy and artificial joint replacement In the late stage of degenerative arthritis, the joint degeneration is serious, that is, the narrowing of the joint space is obvious on the X-ray, suggesting the destruction of articular cartilage. Once damaged, joint cartilage, like teeth, cannot be regenerated. At this point, surgical treatment is an option on a case-by-case basis. Even at this level, there is no need to be discouraged, as the technology for total knee replacement is now very mature, and successful artificial knee replacements are painless, functional, and can basically restore normal knee function. We have successfully completed hundreds of such surgeries with good results. How to prevent degenerative knee arthritis? Once degenerative arthritis has occurred, it is difficult to reverse the lesions. Therefore, it is very important to know how to prevent it. 1. Proper physical activity: It helps to improve the nutrition of joint cartilage and prevent muscle and cartilage atrophy. Exercise should be gradual, it is important to adhere to. Pay attention to the protection of the joints. Physical exercise methods are varied, to joint activity without weight is appropriate. Dancing and stair climbing, mountain climbing, running, etc. are harmful exercises. Swimming, jogging on flat ground, tai chi, bicycling, etc. are beneficial exercises. 2, muscle training: as we age, the skeletal muscle decreases year by year, affecting joint stability and promoting joint degeneration. Therefore, increasing the muscle strength around the joints can improve joint stability, protect the normal mechanical conduction of the joints, buffer the impact of sports on the joints, so that the joints are evenly stressed, which is conducive to maintaining joint proprioception, protecting the joints and preventing degeneration. The main methods of training are: isometric and isometric training and resistance exercises. Hip osteoarthritis should pay attention to the training of the abductor muscle group. 3, joint function training: such as knee flexion and extension exercises under non-weight-bearing conditions, in order to maintain the maximum mobility of the joint. Correct poor posture and do more aerobic exercises to control weight and reduce the pressure and bad stimulation on the joint. Avoid prolonged running, jumping, squatting and other poor postures. Reduce or avoid climbing stairs. Obese people should also pay attention to weight loss and do more aerobic exercise such as swimming and cycling. In short, a normal amount of activity is an essential physiological stimulus for bone, cartilage and muscle metabolism, the lack of this stimulus will result in osteoporosis of bones, disuse muscle atrophy, and accelerated degenerative disease of cartilage.