Information on arthrosis
What is arthrosis?
Our joints enable us to move freely in the world. Running, jumping, grabbing, turning our heads, all of this is thanks to our joints, among other things. In order to ensure ideal pressure load and pressure distribution, the bones in the area of the joint surfaces are covered with cartilage and surrounded by synovial fluid (synovia). In addition, the joints are stabilized by ligaments and moved with the help of muscles.
If there is excessive joint wear, this is referred to as arthrosis (arthros - joint). Degenerative joint wear caused by arthrosis is the most common joint disease in old age. 20% of the population show signs of arthrosis in the hip and knee joints. Around half of these people complain of symptoms.
If left untreated, cartilage defects lead to complete degradation of the cartilage over time. This leads to poor force transmission and stress on the bones, which then rub against each other. Over a longer period of time, this leads to the death of bone areas (bone necrosis) and a collapse and thus destruction of the entire joint area.
What are the causes of osteoarthritis?
Primary osteoarthritis is partly genetic. However, the causes are often unknown. Women are affected four times more often than men. Secondary osteoarthritis occurs as a result of accidents, misalignments, obesity, strong and one-sided strain, and rheumatic diseases.
What symptoms arise from osteoarthritis?
At the beginning, orthopedists speak of silent osteoarthritis. In this stage, the first signs of joint wear are already present, but this does not cause any symptoms. This is followed by activated (inflamed) osteoarthritis with acute pain.
The joint is often overheated, swollen and painful to the touch. Pain occurs particularly at the beginning (starting pain), when overexerting (fatigue pain) and when exerting stress, whereby the pain can radiate into the adjacent joints.
Later, the pain also occurs at night or continuously and is associated with muscle pain, restricted movement and crunching in the joint.
As the disease progresses, chronic arthrosis occurs with deformation and instability of the joint, muscle loss and shortening, as well as misalignment of the affected joints.
Which joints can be affected by arthrosis?
In principle, any joint can wear out. Some joints are more at risk of developing the disease than others due to the constant impact of force. The most common forms of joint arthrosis are found in the following parts of the body:
- Hip arthrosis
- Knee arthrosis
- Shoulder arthrosis
- Foot and ankle arthrosis
- Finger joint arthrosis
- Spondylarthrosis (spinal arthrosis)
How is arthrosis diagnosed?
To begin with, the orthopedist asks in detail about the symptoms, possible causes, type and duration of the symptoms. This is followed by a physical examination with regard to the function and pain of the joints. An ultrasound may show joint effusion. The diagnosis is confirmed by certain changes in the X-ray or MRI. These include a narrowing of the joint space, cavities in the bones (cysts), bone protrusions and deformations of the joint. However, radiological and physical signs usually do not correlate. Only half of the patients with radiologically visible changes also complain of physical complaints.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
The aim is to delay or stop the progression of the disease, to be pain-free and at the same time to improve the function of the arthritic joint. In order to reduce the strain on the joint, weight loss, wearing cushioned shoes and sports that do not place a great strain on the joint are recommended.
Physical therapy and physiotherapy are also helpful. With the help of heat therapy or cold therapy, water gymnastics and muscle training, osteoarthritis can be stopped.
To combat the pain, osteoarthritis specialists have various painkillers at their disposal. This is usually advisable at the beginning of therapy, as it allows a pain-free start to physical activity. In orthopedic technology, special insoles or cushioned shoes can be fitted to relieve the strain on the joints.
In some cases, joint-improving surgery is also advisable. In the early stages, the orthopedist can perform cartilage transplants and in later stages, artificial joint replacements or joint-preserving operations.
Prognosis for osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis itself cannot be cured. However, there are many successful ways to stop joint wear and tear for a long time, or if necessary to install an artificial joint that is only slightly inferior to the original in terms of strength and movement.
