He's been shooting in your joints for a long time, mostly in your fingers and knees. So far it hasn't bothered you, but for some time you've been feeling "rusty" in the morning, you have to move around and your knee joints are starting to ache. Are shooting joints something serious?
Shooting jointsis a condition that has at least two causes. The need to move in the morning may indicate thatjoints are inflamed . On the other hand, the cause of cracks in the knee joint may bedegenerative changesin the articular cartilage, which are referred to as chondromalacia or a defect in the articular cartilage.
Shooting joints require specialist consultations
Inflammation in the joints requires consultation with a rheumatologist. Crackling in the knee joint should be diagnosed by an orthopedist. The cause of pain in the knee joint may be damage to the articular cartilage. Chondromalacia is literally a softening of the joint cartilage. Its surface gradually becomes fibrotic, there are gaps between the connective and cartilage tissue, and finally cavities, which reveal the subcartilage layer and destroy the cartilage. The extent of its damage can be assessed by performing an arthroscopic examination of the knee. The cause of this form of cartilage damage may be microtrauma, inflammation and improper positioning of the bones forming the joint, e.g. due to valgus gait. Then the pain occurs after longer walking, when climbing stairs, and also at night. The so-called blocking the knee, i.e. resistance to straightening the joint.
Shooting joints - treatment
Treatment of this ailment is long and requires a lot of discipline from the patient. But the earlier the treatment is started, the more certain it is to avoid surgery. Conservative treatment consists in taking medications, using kinesiotherapy, i.e. therapeutic improvement, physical therapy. Sometimes it is necessary to use orthopedic equipment in the form of knee joint stabilizers, sometimes with shoe inserts that enable proper treading and elbow crutches. Pharmacological therapy primarily involves taking anti-inflammatory drugs that improve the metabolism of the articular cartilage (plant extracts such as ginger, soy, turmeric, avocado also have this effect), and sometimes also steroids - orally or directly into the joint.Improving exercises, performed under the supervision of a physiotherapist, are to improve the mobility of the joint and strengthen the quadriceps. Chondromalacia physical therapy uses cold (cryotherapy) or heat treatment, electrotherapy, ultrasound, short-wave diathermy and laser therapy. If an orthosis is necessary, its type should be selected by an orthopedist or physiotherapist. Its task is to stabilize and support the kneecap, thanks to which the path of its displacement changes.
ImportantConservative treatment brings good results in more than 2/3 cases. But a visit to a specialist to determine the cause of the symptoms, both morning stiffness in the small joints and crackles in the knee, is essential.
"Zdrowie" monthly