Today, quite a lot of citizens of our country seek help from a specialist because of various pains in the bones. The most interesting thing is that this disease worries not only people of age, but also young people. Very often, people experience unpleasant aching pain in the knees. However, this phenomenon may not be regular, so the solution to the problem is constantly delayed. But why is he still twisting his knees? What to do to avoid the appearance of this unpleasant symptom? This will be discussed in this review.
How does the knee joint work?
Let's take a closer look at this. The knee has a rather complex structure. This joint is formed from several bones at once: the patella, femur and tibia. The menisci located between them perform a shock-absorbing function. They prevent bones from rubbing against each other, and also provide protection during physical exertion. The knee joint consists of tendons and muscles that are located on the side of the lower leg and thigh. Damage to any of the above items mayexperience strong discomfort. It is almost impossible to determine a clear localization of pain in this condition. Why does he twist his knees? The reasons can be completely different. For an accurate diagnosis, be sure to contact a qualified specialist.
Joint dystrophy: causes
If your knee hurts for a long time, twists at night, then perhaps the wrong diet is to blame. The lifestyle of a modern person does not allow paying sufficient attention to a full meal. Due to the constant lack of time, we are forced to snack something on the go. This negatively affects the general condition of the body, including the metabolism in the joints. The lack of nutrients can cause deformation of the cartilage tissue. But it is she who protects the joint from friction and possible destruction.
What is cartilage dystrophy? The amount of synovial fluid entering the joints is significantly reduced. But it is she who is a natural lubricant that protects the articular surfaces of the bone from friction. As a result, they are injured from contact with each other.
How to eat, so as not to feel the signs of joint dystrophy? The optimal number of meals per day is 4-5 times. It is with this diet that the blood will be continuously saturated with useful substances. All systems and organs will receive the components necessary for proper functioning in time.
Aching pain: causes
Sowhy it appears and how to deal with it. Sometimes he twists his knees not only during serious physical exertion, but also at rest. Many are faced with such an unpleasant problem as aching pain at night. When such a symptom appears, you should immediately contact a specialist. Only a doctor can diagnose the exact cause of knee pain.
What can pain in the knee joints signal? This symptom can be caused by many serious diseases. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to be limited to a simple intake of analgesics. It is worth accurately determining the cause of the pain and immediately begin treatment.
Inflammatory processes
Why does he twist his knees? One of the most common causes is inflammation in the joints.
Here are just some of the diseases that can cause them:
- Arthritis: this pathology may indicate the beginning of the first stage of the development of polyarthritis. The disease affects several groups of joints at once. The first symptoms of the disease are swelling, redness, severe pain, especially at night and when the weather changes.
- Bursitis: This disease is associated with inflammation of the joint capsule. It is this element that protects the joint from infections and mechanical damage. The first signs of inflammation are swelling and redness, and the knees also twist a lot.
- Tendinitis. In this disease, the inflammatory process affects the ligaments and tendons. As a result, the legs are very swollen, there are sensations of discomfort while running or walking. Pain may alsoobserved in the lower leg and thigh.
- Becker's cyst. The place of localization of the inflammatory process is the back surface of the lower leg, slightly below the popliteal notch. The disease causes severe pain, aggravated by bending the leg.
Other causes of inflammation
This process can develop not only as a result of diseases.
Inflammatory conditions can also be caused by:
- insect bites and allergies;
- hypothermia;
- stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time;
- serious exercise.
Degenerative joint diseases
What makes them special? A distinctive feature of degenerative diseases is constant continuous deterioration in the structure of the affected organs and tissues. Typically, such processes occur in tissues that are involved in the formation of joints. These include articular cartilage, areas of the bone layer that is in constant contact with the fibers of the ligaments, and the ligaments themselves.
Typically, the symptoms of degenerative diseases appear gradually. At first, a person feels that he is slightly twisting his legs and knees, then the pains become constant and do not go away even at night. This is due to the fact that over time, the disease affects a fairly large area of connective tissue.
Arthrosis
What is this disease? One of the possible reasons why he twists his legs from knees to feet is arthrosis. This disease is characterized by severe pain. It's about destructionarticular cartilage and destruction of the synovium.
Osteoarthritis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Crunching in the knees and severe aching pain.
- Fatigue.
- In the later stages of the disease, there is numbness and swelling of the knees. In severe cases, complete immobilization may occur.
If you do not start treatment of this disease in a timely manner, the patella may gradually shift and deform.
Osteoarthritis
This disease of the joints is characterized by a change in the structure of tissues and the formation of growths on the bone. The causes of this disease have not yet been fully studied.
Only a few factors have been established, under the influence of which deforming osteoarthritis can develop:
- genetic predisposition;
- metabolic and circulatory disorders;
- hormonal changes;
- get proteoglycans into the joint.
The first stage of the disease occurs without any symptoms. First, it affects cartilage, which lacks nerve endings and closely spaced blood vessels.
Osgood-Schlatter pathology
The disease is a kind of osteochondrosis. It is quite dangerous and can lead to complete loss of joint mobility. The disease affects not only the knees, but also the tibia. The first symptom is the occurrence of pain during flexion. During and after physical exertion, discomfort may increase.
Injuries
One of the most common causes of twisting knees is injury. Injury can be obtained not only from a blow or a fall, but also from an unsuccessful bend of the leg. If the cause of pain is a blow to the leg, then the pain will increase with physical activity. However, often the knee hurts at night, at rest. In severe cases, the discomfort is so severe that the person cannot even sleep.
Dislocation of the patella
Is it dangerous? If, after hitting a hard surface or injury during sports, the knees twist strongly, then the reason may be the exfoliation of bone or cartilage tissue. If the pain is accompanied by swelling, unnatural twisting or bending of the leg, then most likely it is a dislocation of the patella. In this case, vessels and nerve endings may also be damaged. Therefore, along with aching pain, the patient may also feel numbness and tingling in the joint area. At first, the injured area may simply turn red. Blueness appears much later.
Aching pains at night
How to deal with them? Why do knees twist at night? Possible causes are serious diseases such as osteoporosis, arthrosis or arthritis. It is quite difficult to stop the development of these pathologies. The appearance of pain in the knee joint may indicate that the disease has already gone far enough. It should be borne in mind that arthrosis can develop not only in people of age. Very often, even at the age of 25, they suffer from this unpleasant disease. It may develop as a result of constantload on the knee joints associated, for example, with professional activities. Often this disease affects young mothers, professional athletes and movers. The cartilage gradually begins to break down, which causes unpleasant aching sensations that do not go away even at night.
Treatment
If constant aching pain in the knee joints makes it difficult to sleep at night, then painkillers can be taken to relieve discomfort. However, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. Don't try to self-medicate. The cause of the pain can only be determined by a qualified specialist. Depending on the nature of the disease, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate therapy for you.
If knee pain is due to a minor injury, you can try the following methods:
- bed rest, limitation of joint mobility with gradual activation;
- using canes and crutches while walking;
- use of orthopedic insoles;
- wearing comfortable soft shoes;
- hot compresses.
As a therapy, your doctor may prescribe:
- Taking anti-inflammatory and painkillers.
- Applying special ointments and creams to relieve pain and inflammation.
- Injections.
If the patient's legs twist below the knee or in another area for a long time, the doctor may prescribe a course of physiotherapy.
It may include:
- mud packs and baths;
- treatmentmineral waters;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser technology.
Surgery
If the destructive processes in the joints have gone far enough and are not amenable to standard therapy, surgical intervention may be required. This measure is considered radical and is prescribed only as a last resort. Today, there are several ways to perform joint surgery.
Here are some of them:
- Total joint replacement: performed when the joint and surrounding bones are completely destroyed. During the operation, the patient is fitted with a prosthesis.
- Partial joint replacement: only damaged parts of the joint are modified.
- Arthroscopy: during the operation, the destroyed elements of the joint are removed through 2-3 small incisions.
After any surgical intervention, doctors recommend that patients wear a pressure tight bandage for a long time.
Conclusion
Quite often people suffer from knee twisting. The reasons for this condition can be quite serious. If the problem is not related to injury or damage, then most likely this symptom is a consequence of joint destruction. However, only a doctor can determine the exact cause. At the first appearance of pain, you should consult a specialist. The doctor will prescribe the appropriate therapy. You may need exercise therapy or physical therapy. The doctor may also advisechange your diet. Indeed, often joint dystrophy occurs due to metabolic disorders and lack of minerals.
