In daily life, we often see elderly people who walk with a hobbled gait and have an “O” shape in both knee joints, and most of them complain of pain in the knee joints at first when walking for a long time or going up and down stairs, but it improves after resting or lying in bed. As the disease progresses, the knee joints become painful even when walking on a flat road, and the joints become unstable and painful when walking without attention; at the same time, there is a sound like twisting hair when the knee joints move. In severe cases, the knee joint may suddenly “lock” in a certain position, and when it is unlocked, there is an obvious popping sound. In fact, these are the clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis of the knee, commonly known as osteophytes of the knee. 1. What is knee osteoarthritis Knee osteoarthritis is one of the common clinical diseases in orthopedics, mostly in middle-aged and older patients, with a higher incidence in women than in men. It is characterized by severe pain in both knee joints, weakness in walking, limited activity, and osteophytes in both knees on X-rays. This disease is generally poorly treated clinically and causes great physical and mental pain to the patient. 2, knee osteoarthritis are what causes (1) post-fracture osteophytes. After a fracture or even fragmentation after repair in the form of continuous proliferation of bone cells around the injury to form a bone scab. (2) Calcification and ossification can occur after injury to the surrounding soft tissues, affecting the periosteum and causing it to produce bone. This proliferation is pathological and can cause certain symptoms. (3) As we age, the bones of the knee joint wear out over the years and the surrounding ligaments loosen, resulting in joint instability and causing lesions that lead to osteophytes in the corresponding areas. After the age of 40, most people have osteophytes, but the location and degree of hyperplasia varies, with some having symptoms and some having no symptoms. 3, what kind of knee joint is prone to osteoarthritis (1) excessive knee joint activity, such as athletes, dancers and certain types of workers whose knee joint is the main activity. (2) People with knee instability due to trauma, such as those with repeated knee sprains and contusions that loosen the joint ligaments, those with traumatic injuries to the lateral collateral ligaments of the knee that are not treated systematically, those with cruciate ligament ruptures that are not fixed strictly, and those with improperly treated knee fractures. (3) Those with knee deformities caused by rickets, such as rotundity (called O-leg) and abductor leg (also called X-leg) deformities. (4) Older frail people, especially those with senile osteoporosis. (5) Those whose weight significantly exceeds the normal standard. (6) There are significantly more middle-aged and elderly women than men. 4, how to treat knee osteoarthritis conservative method of folding traction can reduce the local nerve and tissue compression of bone spurs and play a temporary relief of pain. Traction is mainly applied in the prone position and external booth, and the traction weight is about 5kg. Physical therapy includes electrotherapy, phototherapy, hydrotherapy, thermotherapy, magnetotherapy, ultra-short wave therapy, microwave therapy, infrared therapy, etc., which can improve local microcirculation and play the role of activating blood circulation. Topical Chinese medicine can not only adjust the whole body, but also make the medicine act directly on the local area to promote the softening of local hyperplastic bone spurs, promote local blood circulation, and reduce local irritation and inflammatory edema; oral Chinese medicine is generally taken internally in the form of soup, pill, powder, and liquor to nourish the liver and kidney and strengthen the muscles and bones, supplemented with blood-activating and stasis-removing drugs. For western medicine, anti-inflammatory painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other classes of drugs are generally used to improve the symptoms. Surgical treatment folding 1. Free bodies (also called joint rats) are seen in the knee joint on X-ray. 2.Severe osteophytes in the knee joint have formed a bone superfluity, which seriously affects its function. 3, Combined meniscal damage or the presence of discoid cartilage. 4, the knee joint is too hyperplastic, the joint cavity is narrow, bone destruction is obvious or joint deformity, resulting in walking very painful, after many months of conservative treatment is ineffective, the age of 50 years or more can be considered for total knee replacement. 5, how to do self-protection (1) not to overexert or overload the knee joint, as far as possible, less up and down stairs, less hiking, less standing, less lifting heavy objects. (2) Try to avoid obesity to prevent aggravation of the knee joint, and for those who are overweight, actively lose weight and control their weight. At the same time, avoid sitting and standing for long periods of time, and change your posture frequently to prevent the knee joint from being fixed in one position and exerting too much force. (3) Cold is an important trigger for the development of osteophytes. The cold can cause vasoconstriction, slow down blood circulation and prevent timely discharge of metabolites, which often aggravates pain. Therefore, you should pay attention to keeping warm in cold weather and wear knee pads if necessary. (4) Exercise properly to improve physical fitness. Swimming and walking are the best exercises, followed by sit-ups, push-ups, bridge arches and repeated exercises of raising and lowering the two retreats on the supine bed, imitating pedaling a bicycle, are the best exercises for patients, in addition, insist on doing static contraction training of bilateral quadriceps, i.e., take a lying or sitting position, straighten both lower limbs, tense the muscle groups in front of the thighs with force for 10-20 seconds, relax for 5-10 seconds; repeat 20 ~ 30 times; 4 to 5 times a day, is also one of the best exercises to enhance muscle strength and maintain joint stability.
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