From this article you will learn:

Why do joint diseases occur in older people?

How do joint diseases manifest in older people?

What are the most common joint diseases in older people?

How to treat joint diseases in older people correctly

Can traditional medicine help overcome joint diseases in older people?

Popular phrase “Movement is life!” for millions of people with joint pain is of particular importance. And joint diseases in older people are taken for granted. As a rule, if pain occurs, people attribute it to approaching old age. What are the causes of joint diseases in older people? How to treat them? Is it possible to prevent or slow down the onset of joint diseases? Let's figure it out together.

How common are joint diseases in older people?

A joint is the place where bones meet; it is a kind of cavity with articular fluid, which serves to reduce friction between the bones. They are the ones who help a person make all movements. While our joints are healthy, we do not notice their work. Only over the years, when faced with unbearable pain when walking, squatting or climbing stairs, do we begin to appreciate them. Joint diseases in older people are often irreversible and chronic.

The problem of joint diseases has always been relevant for humanity. Since ancient times, people have been looking for ways of salvation. Even now, despite the achievements of modern medicine, every third person in the world suffers from joint diseases. Each of us is at risk, regardless of gender and social status, age and habits. When we are young, we don’t think about serious illnesses.

Restriction of freedom of movement due to pain is very common. Unbiased statistics show scary figures: almost all elderly people over 75 years old have problems with joints. And at the age of 65 years, 70% of older people are already concerned about the symptoms of the disease.

It is obvious that joint diseases in older people occur against the background of age-related changes, namely: modifications of joints (lose their round shape), muscles (become flabby), tissues (elasticity decreases). In addition to natural aging, other reasons can intensify the disease or accelerate its exacerbation.

Why does joint disease occur in older people?

Treatment of joint diseases in older people, as with any disease, should begin with correct diagnosis. Having established a diagnosis, the causes of the pathology should be determined; the nature of the treatment depends on this. It is difficult to say how this or that disease developed, but modern medicine has researched and studied the following forms:

With age, the human musculoskeletal system undergoes significant changes. In older people, the volume of muscle mass changes, since muscles without intense physical work become flabby and atrophied. The cartilage is no longer so elastic, it becomes thinner. The process of bone sliding is disrupted due to the roughness of the cartilage tissue. The entire articular cartilage is modified, tendons and joint capsules are deformed due to the deposition of calcium salts. Let's add to this process the age-related thinning of bones, making them fragile and vulnerable. Thus, changes in an older person's body make them more susceptible to injury.

The phrase “Sport cripples, physical education heals” is confirmed by frequent joint diseases due to injuries. Injuries received during life, as a rule, are a common cause of joint pathologies in old age. What do athletes damage? Ligaments, muscles, joints. While recovering, the body somewhat changes the affected tissues. And if the injuries are permanent, this will inevitably lead to the development of joint diseases in old age. Who else, besides athletes, is at risk? Those whose professional activities involve repetition of monotonous movements and excessive physical stress on the joints.

Joints and synovial fluid of joints are susceptible to inflammatory processes due to chronic infections.

A special group includes pathological changes in the functioning of joints due to endocrine disorders in the body. The mechanism is as follows: hormonal imbalance leads to metabolic failure and salt deposition. This imbalance reduces bone density, which causes joints to malfunction. So-called endocrine arthritis, which is treated by an endocrinologist, causes big problems for elderly people, because the root cause is disruption of the endocrine glands. Women during menopause should pay attention to the likelihood of joint disease (infectious or dystrophic) due to hormonal changes.

Medical studies have shown that family diseases are not in last place as a cause of joint diseases, i.e. hereditary predispositions. Genetically, problems with joint diseases can be traced back through entire generations.

The well-known fact: “keep your feet warm and dry” is confirmed in practice by an increase in joint diseases due to dampness and cold. For example, in Sweden, cases of rheumatoid arthritis in elderly residents of coastal areas (in an atmosphere of high humidity) are 2 times higher than in residents inland.

The effect on joints does not require a scientific explanation overweight. It is clear that excessive physical stress on the connecting blocks that provide movement wears them out prematurely, which leads to disruption of their functions and joint diseases in older people.

How joint diseases in older people may be associated with in a sedentary manner life? It's simple: with age, physical activity decreases, which means that due to poor blood circulation, cartilage tissue does not receive adequate nutrition, and metabolism is disrupted. The blocked joint is destroyed and arthrosis appears.

Each case of joint disease in older people must be considered separately. Exacerbation can be triggered by chronic stress, unsuitable climate, environmental problems and poor nutrition of older people.

Having analyzed the facts influencing the development of joint diseases in older people, the following conclusions can be drawn:

There are many reasons that provoke the appearance of joint diseases in the elderly, ranging from internal problems of the body to external factors related to the location of the country.

More often, joint diseases occur due to the influence of several causes at once.

What are the types of joint diseases in older people based on the nature of the lesion?

Inflammatory and infectious

The name itself says that the cause of these joint diseases in older people is an infectious process that causes inflammation. In addition to infection, the cause of joint pathology can be either an autoimmune or an allergic process. How to recognize this type of disease? An elderly person, of course, will notice swelling, swelling in the joint area, accompanied by pain. Symptoms develop very quickly and then fade away, but this does not mean that the disease is localized. Usually, after an acute onset, the inflammatory process goes silently, without pain, which is more dangerous for an elderly person, since the pathology develops and there is no treatment.

Pathologies caused by inflammatory reactions constitute a whole group. This arthritis(the most common disease in the elderly), ankylosing spondylitis, Hoffa's disease, gout, psoriatic arthritis. Arthritis is divided into both rheumatoid and infectious-allergic.

Arthritis affects the inner lining of the joints. When one joint is inflamed, they talk about monoarthritis; when there are multiple lesions, doctors diagnose polyarthritis.

Degenerative lesions

Degenerative lesions are recognized as the most widespread among joint diseases in older people. This is not surprising, because their appearance is caused by age-related changes, namely: wear of joints, destruction of cartilage, osteoporosis (age-related bone fragility due to a decrease in density).

More often, doctors diagnose a disease such as arthrosis The joint is affected, followed by its destruction. It all starts with cartilage tissue: as it becomes thinner, it allows the articulating ends of the bones to come closer together. Without meeting a natural barrier, the bones touch and grind against each other when moving, causing stiffness and pain. The body itself begins to build up and thicken the place of rubbing, thereby changing the original joint unit.

The joint enlarges, changes, and loses mobility. The problem is that one change leads to another, involving all joints in the destructive process. A deformed joint can no longer play the role of a shock absorber when walking or moving. Older obese people especially suffer from arthrosis.

Types of joint diseases in older people by location

An experienced doctor immediately diagnoses the disease, without waiting for test results and x-rays. The fact is that joint diseases in older people usually have a persistent localization.

Thus, glenohumeral periarthritis and osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, which are accompanied by constant pain in the shoulder girdle, are detected in elderly or mature people who have been engaged in heavy physical labor for a long time.

Diseases of former athletes include epicondylitis, deforming osteoarthritis and osteochondritis. The pain is usually localized in the elbow joint, which makes movement much more difficult.

If in medical practice a doctor encounters diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, then most likely he is dealing with a former musician, typist, engraver, jeweler, i.e. with those whose professional activity is associated with great tension in the joints of the hands. Inflamed joints, usually of both hands, do not allow you to straighten your fingers in the morning. You need to knead them for a long time and carefully to restore at least some mobility.

Coxarthrosis, a disease of the hip joint, is considered a real disaster among joint diseases in older people. Softening of the structure of the femur (osteoporosis) threatens a difficult-to-heal fracture of its neck.

Unfortunately, people of all ages are familiar with diseases of the knee joint. In older people, gonarthrosis is more common, affecting the destruction of the knee joint.

Diseases of obese elderly people with a sedentary lifestyle can be called ankle arthrosis, coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis. The diseases accompany walking with severe pain, which entails uncertainty in gait and fear of falling.

How to recognize joint diseases in older people

Not all joint pain in older adults is the same. Pain can occur with any movement or at rest. Complaints from patients suffering from such ailments can be divided into certain groups.

The largest group is complaints of pain in the joints, at first minor, then more and more noticeable. If treatment is not prescribed, they will increase. Gout and some types of arthritis in older people are characterized by sharp, severe pain.

Many older people complain of pain when going up or down stairs. Discomfort in the knees makes you listen with concern to the onset of problems in the knee joints.

In addition to inconvenience, the long transition from the morning state of “stiffness” to normal active life in older people is most often not perceived as a disaster, but serves as a dangerous sign. If there is no treatment, the risk increases and the disease progresses.

Complaints of pain during colds and ARVI are also very common, but older people do not correlate them with the approach of a disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Complaints of a crunching sound while moving, bending the knees, elbows, or turning the head also indicate pathology of the musculoskeletal system.

All problems with joint diseases in older people must be studied, paying attention to stiffness, crunching, swelling, pain. At an early stage, a complete cure or stopping the process of joint destruction is possible. Delayed treatment will not relieve pain and will not guarantee recovery.

How to treat joint diseases in older people correctly

If you have heart pain or dizziness, you try to see a therapist right away, but you don’t do this if you have joint pain, even daily. “It will hurt and go away, just think, I limp slightly, my bones ache - it’s raining, tomorrow it will be better,” - these and other phrases are often heard by relatives and children of pensioners. No less dangerous for older people are the advice of “experienced” patients and scraps of recipes heard somewhere. Joint diseases in older people cannot be treated at random! Treatment methods for diseases are radically different.

The correct approach to treating the elderly consists of three areas: medications, physiotherapy, and spa treatment.

Let's look at the medications used.

Etiotropic medicinal drugs

These drugs are needed to directly influence the cause of the disease.

Only the attending physician selects treatment and appropriate medications, since each type of disease requires close attention based on medical indicators and X-ray results. Judge for yourself: autoimmune reactions are treated with steroid hormones; for the treatment of osteoarthritis, chondroprotectors are required (they improve the structure of cartilage).

Symptomatic medications

Pain, swelling, temperature and other symptoms of inflammatory processes of joint diseases in older people are relieved with therapeutic agents. More often they are used intravenously, sometimes intramuscularly, so that, without causing harm to internal organs, they have a targeted effect on the diseased organ. Side effects depend on the dosage of the medicine used. If non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not suitable for treatment, then there are good alternatives for topical use: creams, ointments, gels. In extreme cases, the doctor may insist on surgical interventions. The goals of forced surgery are arthrodesis (fixation of the joint) and arthroplasty (restoration of motor function).

How to eat so that joint diseases in older people recede

To say that nutrition plays a significant role, blocks or provokes the development of joint diseases in older people, would be wrong. Most likely, proper nutrition normalizes metabolic processes, and therefore prevents metabolic disorders. Although there are some subtleties here that should not be neglected.

Firstly as in any balanced diet , in the diet An elderly person who cares about their joints should contain a lot of vegetables and fruits. Complex carbohydrates will be represented by grains and cereals, proteins - lean meat and fish. Do not ignore sources of unsaturated fatty acids: they are fish oil, vegetable oils, preferably unrefined, and nuts.

To prevent joint diseases, do not forget foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D: milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, canned tuna, pink salmon, and salted herring. Broccoli, beans, and pumpkin are also useful. There are many useful microelements in dried apricots, figs, raisins, almonds and peanuts.

Vegetable juice mixtures contain 50% more nutrients than the fruits themselves, and the vitamins are in concentrated form. This can be the juice of turnips, beets, pumpkins and carrots; don’t fall for the healing juice of dandelion. Eating one apple daily will relieve many problems. It’s not without reason that they say: “An apple for dinner—you don’t need a doctor,” although nutritionists still advise eating fruit in the first half of the day in any form: raw, baked, boiled. Celery leaves in salads or boiled or stewed are also useful.

A special feature of nutrition for the prevention and treatment of joint diseases in the elderly is the use of products such as fish, hard cheese, meat, meat jelly, and fruit jellies. The thing is that these products contain glucosamine and chondroitin, and these are the main elements for restoring and strengthening joints.

Secondly as with any healthy diet , and especially for joint diseases in older people, should be refused:

From fried due to the huge amount of fat and carcinogens;

From alcohol (due to swelling there is pressure on the walls of the joint cavity);

From mayonnaise, margarine due to the presence of trans fats;

From confectionery products due to the calorie content of simple carbohydrates.

Products affect the deterioration of joints. For example, an attack of gout (a metabolic disease in which salts are deposited in the joints) can occur after excessive consumption of protein foods. A lack of vitamin C in food can cause scurvy, which affects the fragility of blood vessels, which means there is a risk of developing hemarthrosis (bleeding into the joint cavity). Deforming osteoarthritis will certainly develop in a person whose diet provokes the appearance of obesity. Huge body weight puts pressure on the joints, increasing physical stress.

Thirdly, you should eat in moderation. When dealing with joint diseases in older people, a big problem is excess weight, which puts additional stress on the spine and joints. It is not for nothing that gout has always been considered a disease of kings, since excesses in food clogged the body with salts and toxins. The idea of ​​observing fasts (note how wisely they transfer the body from one season to another, changing the nature of the products available at a given time) is also supported by modern nutritionists. Nowadays, various products can be bought all year round; it is up to the individual to organize their nutritional system and reduce the calorie content of the food they eat.

What drinks can relieve joint diseases in older people?

Separately, it is necessary to analyze the situation with the drinks taken, which in case of joint diseases in older people can both help and harm the body.

Everyone knows that water is the source of life. But few people know that drinking plenty of water helps with joint diseases in older people. The mechanism is simple: due to a lack of water, metabolism slows down, blood circulation worsens, which leads to impaired nutrition of the joints. The joint cavity suffers from a decrease in the amount of synovial fluid, which means that the movement of the joint occurs with great resistance, which destroys cartilage tissue. Opinions about the amount of daily drinking water are different. Usually this is 1.5-2.5 liters, but weight, gender, physical activity, time of year, humidity in the place of permanent residence, and concomitant diseases should be taken into account. The best water is pure still water. It should be warm (35-40 degrees Celsius).

Under the supervision of a doctor, on his recommendation, you can drink alkaline drinks. Why is this important for joint diseases in older people? Alkaline water with a low proportion of mineralization, always non-carbonated (remove bubbles, leaving the bottle open) washes away accumulated acids (uric and oxalic). These acids accumulate in the body and trigger joint inflammation.

The most popular drinks are tea and coffee. This is not to say that they should not be taken for joint diseases in older people, but you need to know when to stop. And she is like this: coffee - no more than two cups with milk, tea should be brewed weakly (half a teaspoon per 250 ml of water). Ginger tea has excellent characteristics, however, it tastes too spicy for everyone. A piece of ginger root should be chewed and washed down with water, as it is very useful for joint diseases.

Lemonades, carbonated water, packaged juices will do more harm due to the huge sugar content, which means they will increase your weight. Freshly squeezed juices are diluted with water 1:1.

It is unlikely that there is a place for alcoholic beverages in a healthy diet. And even more so, they are not useful for people with joint problems. Uric acid, which affects joint inflammation, is increased by wine; beer contains purines, which are harmful to joints. And champagne with gases flushes calcium from the body, which accelerates the inflammatory process.

So, certain drinks are not a panacea for solving joint problems, but, as part of preventive measures, they can stop inflammation and improve the general condition of the body.

Joint diseases in older people: 6 traditional medicine recipes

Traditional medicine is held in high esteem by older people, and there are many recipes for treating joint diseases. If you receive approval during consultation with a specialist, you can apply 6 traditional medicine recipes, aimed at relieving pain and relieving inflammatory processes.

Recipe 1. Infuse for 2-3 hours a remedy consisting of camphor and mustard (take 50 g each), egg white (100 g) and 500 ml of vodka. If you rub the resulting mass into the affected areas every day, you can achieve a reduction in pain.

Recipe 2. This medicine helps to cope with many joint diseases, but it must be used for at least a year. Prepare the medicine for two weeks, shaking daily. So, cut 300 g of chestnut fruit and place it in a glass half-liter bottle, fill it with vodka.

Recipe 3. Prepare: chopped ginger (1 tablespoon), birch buds (1 tablespoon), salt (1 teaspoon), chopped clove of garlic and a pinch of red or black pepper. Pour in oil (sesame, corn or olive will do) and keep in a water bath for up to 10 minutes. Store the finished ointment in the refrigerator, and before use, heat the required portion to body temperature (37 degrees Celsius). Rub the ointment onto the sore joint and hold it for 15-20 minutes; after removing the product, wrap the joint with a warm bandage to retain heat.

Recipe 4. The recipe is similar to the previous one in terms of preparation and application. The composition is as follows: a mixture of ginger, nettle, thyme, string, barberry and cinquefoil, pour olive oil (200 g). Take 1 tablespoon of herbs, chop ginger and barberry, also take 1 tablespoon each.

Recipe 5. Take a bottle, fill it halfway with nut shells (you need pine nuts, walnut partitions, hazelnuts) and fill it to the top with vodka. Store the tincture in a dark place and shake daily for 14 days. When the tincture is ready, use it in two ways: internally (half a teaspoon per day) and for rubbing joints.

Recipe 6. Decoctions of herbs that have a choleretic effect (oats, immortelle, bear's ear and horsetail) are recommended for use in long-term treatment of arthrosis. These decoctions, individually or in combination, can be drunk for a month in a quarter, and then in half a glass.

While skeptics argue about the benefits of cabbage leaves for reducing joint pain, optimists continue to attach a fresh burdock or cabbage leaf to a sore joint. The soft bandage with the sheet must be changed after an hour.

How yoga helps overcome joint diseases in older people

Reading about the terrible consequences of joint diseases in older people, you begin to think about preventive measures. One of them is yoga - a system of exercises to strengthen muscles, joints, and ligaments. It has been proven that just 12 minutes of exercise a day for several years not only increases bone density, but actually reduces the risk of osteoporosis and arthrosis.

If there are yoga specialists in your city, be sure to ask for advice on a set of exercises specifically for your age and level of physical fitness. Do not try to stubbornly repeat complex asanas (postures), as you will only harm your joints.

Beginners and yoga instructors are advised to try the Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation, complex.

So, why did we decide to do yoga? How will this help older people?

When fixing a particular pose, a natural tension occurs, muscles that we hardly use in everyday life are worked out.

The muscles become elastic, which means they protect the adjacent joint.

Much attention in yoga is given to the feet as the most important shock absorbers when walking.

Yoga is a wonderful property for dealing with stress.

The main feature of this system of exercises is the absence of pain, which comes to the fore for those who want to exercise, but experience pain when moving.

9 Tips on How to Prevent Joint Diseases in Older People

Nobody dreams of being a dilapidated wreck in old age. Every movement should bring joy, not excruciating pain leading to immobilization. If you carefully read this article, you have long understood that only the balance of the whole organism provides stable health. A disease of one organ causes a disease of another and affects a third, because everything in our body is interconnected.

In one of the programs dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, the presenter asked an 82-year-old man how he manages to maintain joint mobility and vitality. An elderly man begins to talk about his morning: 20 minutes - exercise on the joints (without getting out of bed), 40 minutes of exercise with the window open, then a glass of water, fast walking with poles on the street, in any weather...

To which the presenter exclaims in amazement: “This is a mockery of your body!” The answer is amazing: “If you don’t “mock” your body when you’re young, it will mock you when you’re old.” The conclusion is simple: to prolong the life of your joints, you need to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, and this is what prevention is all about.

To prevent joint diseases in the elderly, We offer 9 simple but effective rules

The diet must be balanced, the drinking regime must be strictly observed. You need physical activity that is adequate for your age: if not running, then brisk walking, if you have no strength, then walking in place, circular movements of the hands, arms, and feet. Systematic physical exercise improves blood circulation, accelerates the metabolic process, strengthens muscles, joints, and ligaments. There are many joint gymnastics for any level of physical fitness of an elderly person.

Physiotherapy exercises, subject to the correct selection of exercises, are today the main element in the prevention and restoration of the body after joint diseases in older people. Mandatory conditions: the exercises must be suggested by a specialist, the execution time must be at least 30 minutes, there should be no pain.

It is necessary to protect the joints from heavy physical activity and not test the body’s strength, especially in young years. All injuries, even those successfully treated, can lead to early destruction of cartilage tissue in old age.

People who have been able to lose excess weight primarily notice a decrease in knee pain. American scientists observed a group of overweight patients (506 people), all of whom were at risk of developing osteoarthritis. Only weight normalization was able to stop the process of destruction of the knee joint.

If the attending physician recommends to an elderly patient the use of complex drugs and dietary supplements, then you should pay attention to such drugs as “Phytosupport for joints”, “Biorhythm Joints”, “Calcium phytobalance”, “Locomotorium”, “V. Dikul’s Balm”.

We associate warmth with health; warming a joint for prevention can be very useful. Bath, sauna, bathhouse - all this helps increase blood circulation. Blood flows to problem areas, nourishing cartilage tissue. Flexibility increases and muscle spasms are relieved. To the question of whether it is possible to heat inflamed joints, you will find the answer from your attending physician. Do not self-medicate, do not forget about hypertension, which often accompanies joint diseases in older people.

During sleep, our body rests and our joints do not bear physical stress. An orthopedic mattress and pillow are of great importance for the quality of rest. Overweight people will benefit from a firm mattress. The transition from a horizontal to a vertical position in case of joint diseases in older people should be done slowly: sit down, lower your legs from the bed, and slowly stand up, leaning on the bed or chair.

A healthy lifestyle is impossible without such a component as healthy, adequate sleep.

Joint diseases in older people cannot be treated separately from other ailments of the body. It is necessary to take into account all contraindications so as not to cause more harm to the body than good.

Arthrosis is a disease of the joints, often the result of wear and tear of intra-articular cartilage and, during menopause, metabolic degenerative changes.

Arthrosis is a non-inflammatory disease and therefore has nothing in common with chronic polyarthritis or arthritis, in which inflammation of the joint is characterized by reactive pathological changes in the joint fluid. The same can be said about acute arthritis, which is inflammation of the joints that was caused by various infectious agents.
One of the reasons that leads to premature wear of intra-articular cartilage is the aging of chondrocytes, i.e. cartilage tissue cells. The total amount of cartilage in the joint may gradually decrease, this is especially noticeable as old age approaches, after injuries, post-traumatic inflammation, constant professional loads on certain joints (for example, among agricultural workers and football players). In osteoarthritis, the hip (coxarthrosis) and knee (gonarthrosis) joints are most often affected. One of the earliest manifestations of arthrosis is pain in the knee joints. In the initial stages of the disease, it is practically absent at rest, but appears when the joint is loaded.
Reasons for the development of arthrosis:
Arthrosis is a disease that is caused by many factors. Arthrosis is traditionally divided into primary and secondary.
Primary arthrosis (genuine) - begins without any noticeable reason and affects unchanged articular cartilage simultaneously in many joints; It is more often observed in people over 40 years of age. Primary arthrosis is also a consequence of a violation of the relationships in the cartilage tissue of the processes of synthesis and degeneration, and is accompanied by a disorder of chondrocyte function. In cartilage, during arthrosis changes, destruction processes predominate.
The existence of the matrix as a whole - the intermediate substance of cartilage tissue, which consists of proteoglycans and type II collagen, can be represented as a combination of the process of constant renewal - synthesis and degradation.
Secondary arthrosis is the result of joint damage or disease. Secondary arthrosis develops in a previously modified joint due to disturbances in the normal relationship of the articular surfaces with further redistribution of the load on them and with a concentration in certain areas of pressure. The boundaries between primary and secondary arthrosis are usually blurred due to a combination of metabolic disorders and processes of mechanical destruction in osteoarticular tissues.
Generalized arthrosis (polyarthrosis, polyarticular) - characterized by multiple joint damage.
Deforming arthrosis - characterized by pronounced hyperplastic and destructive changes in the articular ends of bones, manifested by severe pain, progressive dysfunction and significant defiguration of the joints; The knee and hip joints are most often affected.
Uncovertebral arthrosis is a deforming arthrosis of the joints, which additionally forms on the posterolateral surfaces between the processes of the second cervical vertebrae; manifested by signs of brachial and cervical neuritis and other neurological symptoms.

Risk factors for arthrosis:

Genetic:
congenital diseases of joints and bones;
collagen II gene defects;
female

Purchased:
overweight;
old age;
joint operations;
estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women;
acquired diseases of joints and bones;

Environmental factors:
joint injuries;

Genetic factors.

Defects of the musculoskeletal system of acquired or congenital origin. Joint defects: dysplasia, joint hypermobility, which lead to a decrease in the congruence of joint surfaces; static disorders - flat feet, geno valgum, geno varum and others, lead to displacement of the load axes in the joints, chronic microtraumatization of the cartilage, and, as a result, the development of arthrosis.
Defects in type II collagen genes (the main structural material of the hyaline cartilage framework) of a hereditary nature have been discovered, which lead to degeneration of articular cartilage.
The occurrence of arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints of the hands occurs 10 times more often in women, which is explained by the autosomal dominant inheritance of this pathology. The disease is often transmitted from grandmother to daughter, and then to granddaughter.
Excess weight increases the load on the joints, especially the knees, so in people with excess body weight the risk of developing gonarthrosis increases several times. Obesity, according to numerous studies, contributes to the development of arthrosis of the knee joints, but this postulate has not been proven for the hip joints.

Acquired factors.

During life, acquired factors for the development of arthrosis accumulate. The synthetic function of chondrocytes decreases with age, the degradation of proteoglycans increases, as well as the breakdown of the collagen framework of cartilage. Arthrosis occurs after 35-40 years. Arthrosis is much more common in older people. Practically, after 60 years, every person has various radiological signs of arthrosis.
Unfortunately, various operations on the joints not only give the desired therapeutic positive result, but also have an alterative - destructive factor and therefore often lead to arthrosis.
Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women. In the postmenopausal period, “the woman’s estrogen protection” is absent, which is why many diseases arise. First of all, these include postmenopausal osteoporosis, as well as arthrosis.
Acquired diseases of joints and bones. Inflammation. Acute or chronic arthritis, nonspecific inflammation of the joint, including tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis and others lead to the occurrence of secondary arthrosis. The detection of inflammatory immunoglobulins and complement, which are fixed on the surface of the articular cartilage, suggests their role in the course of arthrosis. From a general clinical point of view, the development of secondary arthrosis against the background of primary arthritis is not only frequent, but also in its own way a compensatory process, when, on the same background as the “minus” radiological symptoms of arthritis (erosive process, osteoporosis, bone tissue lysis, cystic restructuring, etc. ) “plus” symptoms of arthrosis appear (subchondral osteophytosis, osteosclerosis, etc.). Neurogenic disorders. Disturbances in normal nerve impulses cause changes in muscle tone and the tone of feeding blood vessels, which leads to disturbances in the mechanical load on the joint, and also to a distortion of nutritional processes in it. Metabolic disorder. In “storage diseases” such as ochronosis, chondrocalcinosis, gout, hemochromatosis, deposition of various substances occurs in the cartilage, which leads to direct damage and, as a consequence, to a secondary impairment of the shock-absorbing ability of the cartilage.

Environmental factors.

Joint injuries, contusions, dislocations, especially chronic microtraumatization of cartilage, as well as intra-articular fractures, disrupt the structure and nutrition of the cartilage and the bone underlying the cartilaginous tissue, and therefore lead to arthrosis.
Environmental factors such as excessive stress on the joints, e.g. Chronic microtraumatization of cartilage contributes to the development of arthrosis. It can be considered the main cause of arthrosis - this is a discrepancy between the load on the articular surface of the cartilage of a mechanical nature, and the ability of the cartilage tissue to resist this load. Arthrosis therefore often develops in people who perform heavy physical work with mechanical overload of the joints during frequently repeated similar movements.

Symptoms of arthrosis
Most often, arthrosis affects the hip and knee joints. But, sometimes, there is also arthrosis of the elbow, shoulder joints and arthrosis that affects the phalanges of the fingers. Almost all pianists suffer from the latter type of arthrosis. The risk group includes athletes, workers involved in heavy physical labor, and people who spend most of the day sitting or standing.

The main symptoms of arthrosis:
Aching pain in the joint. It especially manifests itself under various kinds of loads on the diseased joint, while walking up the stairs.
Aching and crunching in the joint. Aches occur with hypothermia. The crunching is not strong at first, but if left untreated, over time it will be heard by others.
The appearance of swelling. This symptom is characteristic of another joint disease - arthritis (inflammation of the joint). But with arthrosis, swelling occurs only during exacerbations and is accompanied not by acute pain, but by aching pain. It is very noticeable and causes considerable inconvenience.
Any of the above symptoms should not be ignored under any circumstances. Crunching, pain or swelling of the joint is the main reason to consult a doctor.

Treatment of arthrosis
Treatment of degenerative joint diseases should be early, comprehensive and pathogenetic. The basic principles of treatment are eliminating the causes that contribute to the development of the disease, eliminating inflammatory changes and restoring lost functions.
Complex treatment of arthrosis consists of the use of medications with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, physiotherapeutic procedures that have an analgesic and vasodilating effect, in spa treatment and also the use of favorable climatic conditions, mud and mineral waters.
Complex-stage treatment is carried out taking into account the phase of activity and stage of the disease and possible complications.
To suppress reactive synovitis, often observed when large joints are affected, non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for a short time (5-10 days). For persistent reactive synovitis, it is recommended to use these medications for 1 month or more. In some cases, intra-articular administration of corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, Kenalog) is possible.

Of particular interest is polyvinylpyrrolidone; its physicochemical properties are close to synovial fluid.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone is a highly enzyme-resistant high-molecular compound that causes the breakdown of glycosaminoglycans in articular cartilage. This remedy also has mild immunosuppressive properties. Due to the slow removal of the drug from the joint cavity, it can be used to form a depot for other drugs and thereby ensure their prolonged action. Polyvinylpyrrolidone is capable of binding metabolic products and toxins, which are subsequently removed from the joint.

In osteoarthritis, destruction of articular cartilage occurs with loss of glycosaminoglycans. In this regard, it seems valuable to use arteparone, the basis of which is glycosaminoglycans. The drug in a dose of 50 g is injected into the joint once a week; course of 4-5 injections. It is also effective to use purified glycosaminoglycan in the form of tablets in a daily dose of 1.5 for 1.5-2 months.

With arthrosis, the activity of lysosomal enzymes increases in articular cartilage and synovial fluid, causing cartilage tissue to rapidly degenerate. Trasylol is used to deactivate these enzymes. The drug is injected into the joint once a week at a dose of 25,000 units 1, for a course of 3-5 injections. It is recommended in case of development of synovitis, prasinol. To treat synovitis in osteoarthritis recently, the non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drug orgotein is injected into the joint. 8 mg is injected into large joints once a week, for a course of 4-6 injections. It gives longer-lasting results compared to hydrocortisone.

In terms of the breadth of indications and effectiveness, physiotherapeutic methods in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases occupy a leading position. However, they should be treated with great caution, especially when the patient has various types of dysfunction of internal organs. Particularly widely used are electrophoresis of medicinal solutions, ultrasound, paraffin and mud applications, pulsed currents, magnetic therapy, and inductotherapy.

For a long time, X-ray therapy has been used for various diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Including diseases of degenerative origin. Often this method is not used by doctors for fear of developing severe complications, although it is well developed and precise indications for its use have been defined, so a beneficial effect can be expected even when all other non-drug treatment methods are ineffective.

Considering the important role of lesions of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus in the development of arthrosis, it is necessary to systematically carry out therapeutic exercises and apply massage of regional muscles. The duration and nature of the exercises depend on the severity of joint damage and accompanying diseases. Particular importance is attached to therapeutic exercises, so it should only be abandoned in cases where the patient suffers from severe or acute diseases of the internal organs.

Balneological procedures are of particular importance in the complex treatment of patients with osteoarthritis. Most arthrosis patients who receive balneological treatment annually can manage for a long time without taking medications.

The type of balneotherapy is selected depending on the manifestations of the disease and accompanying diseases of the internal organs. Improvement in the condition of most patients occurs after taking mud applications, hydrogen sulfide, and radon baths. When choosing a resort, it is necessary to take into account climatic conditions. Sanatorium-resort treatment for patients with osteoarthritis is indicated in areas with relatively low air humidity and without frequent changes in cyclones and weather.

Surgical treatment is carried out according to indications in cases of severe arthrosis, especially of the hip and knee joints.

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease, especially in older people. You should always remember the threat of premature wear of the joints, and the prevention of this disease should begin in youth; the joints will thank you for this with an unlimited range of movements in old age.

Osteoarthritis or simply arthrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic (the result of tissue drying) disease of the joints. Osteoarthritis is a common disease, its incidence increases with age, while a significant part of arthrosis is asymptomatic.

All osteoarthritis is divided into primary and secondary. Primary forms include those that begin without a noticeable cause after the age of 40 in articular cartilage that has not changed until then and simultaneously affect many joints. Secondary osteoarthritis develops at any age after injuries, vascular disorders, inflammatory changes in the joint, etc. Such osteoarthritis usually affects one or more joints.

Causes of osteoarthritis

In the development of osteoarthritis, static (stationary) loads (prolonged standing, heavy lifting, excess weight) on the joints and minor injuries to the joints are of great importance. With age, changes occur in the blood vessels of the synovial membrane (the sac surrounding the joint), the joint begins to receive less nutrients and oxygen and gradually atrophies (dries out). The same phenomena occur when the function of certain glands is impaired, for example, when the thyroid and gonads are insufficient. Hereditary structural features of joints also play a certain role.

As a result of the influence of all of these factors, the nutritional conditions of joint cartilage are disrupted, its cells in the surface layer are gradually destroyed, the cartilage loses its elasticity, small cracks form on its surface, then this layer acquires a ragged structure. In the later stages, cartilage cells begin to die, forming large foci of necrosis (tissue decay), instead of cartilage tissue, connective tissue and bone tissue grow, and limited joint mobility is formed.

How does osteoarthritis occur?

Any arthrosis develops and proceeds very slowly and never leads to severe dysfunction of the joints. An exception is the hip joint, which has its own anatomical features, due to which limited mobility is formed in it very early, which can later cause disability.

Signs of osteoarthritis are joint pain, a feeling of stiffness, rapid fatigue, stiffness, change in joint shape, crunching in the joints, etc. The pain is usually dull, intermittent, and intensifies in cold and damp weather, in the evening (after prolonged exercise) and during initial movements after a state of rest (“starting pain”). In the hip joints, pain radiates to the groin or sciatic region. Very often (especially in old age), instead of pain, there is only aching and a feeling of heaviness in the bones and joints.

True impairment of mobility is rarely observed; rather, we are talking about stiffness and rapid fatigue of the joints. Joint deformities are most noticeable in the joints of the fingers, which become knotty, and in the knee joints. These deformities are caused by bone growths, and not by soft tissue swelling, as with inflammation of the joint. The cause of rough crunching in the joints is unevenness of the articular surfaces of the bones.

Diagnosis of osteoarthritis

Diagnosis is based on typical signs of the disease (pain, changes in the appearance of joints without signs of inflammation), laboratory data (no signs of inflammation in blood tests) and x-ray studies. Asymptomatic arthrosis can only be seen on x-rays.

Radiologically, there are three stages of osteoarthritis. The first stage is characterized by a slight narrowing of the joint space and small growths of bone tissue along the edges of the glenoid cavity. The second stage - the narrowing of the joint space is already clearly visible, the surfaces of the bones become uneven, change their shape, and bone growths reach significant sizes. In the third stage, changes occur in deeper areas of the bones.

Treatment of osteoarthritis

Treatment of osteoarthritis depends on the shape and location of the lesion and the general condition of the patient. To restore joint cartilage, biological stimulators of cartilage tissue formation (for example, Rumalon) are prescribed. Reflex spasm of the muscles located around the affected joint is relieved by muscle relaxants - drugs that relieve muscle spasm (for example, mydocalm). Vasodilators (nicotinic acid) allow you to increase the nutrition of the joints; for the same purpose (as well as for the purpose of pain relief), thermal procedures (paraffin, warming compresses, etc.) and massage are prescribed.

To eliminate pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, voltaren) are used.

It is very important to give rest to the affected joint several times a day; you cannot stay in the same position for a long time, stand on your feet for a long time, walk for a long time, or lift weights. In advanced stages of the disease, it is advisable to use a cane or crutches when walking.

Osteoarthritis can gradually creep up on each person, but if you do not overload your joints, then these processes can proceed unnoticed.

Galina Romanenko

Pain in the hands may indicate the occurrence of a serious disease - arthrosis. A competent doctor will recognize arthrosis of the fingers by symptoms and select treatment based on the cause of the disease. This is a pathology in which inflammation of the joints occurs. According to statistics, it appears more often in women. This is due to hormonal changes (during menopause) in the female body and a decrease in collagen synthesis. The disease usually occurs in older people. Among young people, the percentage of patients is small.

Pathology, deforming the joints, can lead to loss of motor activity of the hands, their curvature and severe pain. The joints of the phalanges are usually affected. There is also polyarthrosis, in which inflammation of all joints of the hand occurs and their thickening (Heberden's or Bushard's node).

Causes of the disease and its symptoms

Arthrosis of the hand can appear under the influence of many factors. One such factor is age. With age, cartilage becomes less elastic. The amount of synovial fluid that nourishes and protects them from mechanical damage gradually decreases. Thickening of the joints causes a person to experience terrible pain and difficulty moving.

In addition to age, doctors identify the following causes of arthrosis of the fingers:

• injuries;
• hard physical work;
• presence of chronic diseases (arthritis, diabetes, etc.);
• hereditary factor;
• hormonal changes (menopause in women);
• hypothermia of the finger joints.

The disease has clear symptoms. It is recognized by symptoms such as pain during manual work and at rest, muscle hypertonicity (increased tension) of the hands, the formation of nodules and thickenings. The photo shows what the curvature of the fingers and their shortening look like. Pathology can not only deform the fingers, but also cause their edema (swelling). Another sign is a crunching sound when you move your hands.

Stages and types of disease

Symptoms also depend on the severity of the disease. Arthrosis of the hands at the initial stage is characterized by a gradual loss of elasticity of the joints. The patient complains of discomfort and aching pain, muscle tension in the hands. Painful sensations often intensify at night. At this stage there is no difficulty in moving your fingers.

At the second stage, the pain syndrome intensifies. The pain does not leave the patient even at rest. There is a crunching sound and difficulty moving. The fingers swell and begin to become deformed.

At the last stage, arthrosis of the fingers leads to severe swelling and redness. The patient completely loses the ability to perform manual labor. The deformed joint continues to grow, and cartilage and bone tissue are destroyed. A disease of this severity is called polyosteoarthrosis.

Depending on the location of the lesion, deforming arthrosis of the hands is of 3 types:

1. Arthrosis of small joints of the hands. People who work with their hands are highly susceptible to this type of disease. Most often, lesions appear at the junction of the phalanges. This type of disease is dangerous due to its high rate of development. A person may completely lose the ability to move their fingers.
2. Arthrosis of the thumb. This type of disease is more rare. In official medicine, this pathology has another name - rhizarthrosis. Inflammation occurs at the junction of the metacarpal joint and the wrist bone. According to statistics, rhizarthrosis occurs in 5% of patients. With this type of disease, the thumb may completely lose mobility.
3. Arthrosis of the wrist joint. A very rare type of disease. Damage to this joint occurs due to injury (fracture or dislocation).

Rhizarthrosis (arthrosis of the thumb) manifests itself with signs similar to those of other types of osteoarthritis. Aching pain and crunching develop in the joint. Rhizarthrosis then leads to severe curvature and shortening of the thumb.

The least common type of osteoarthritis is arthrosis of the wrist joint. It is difficult to diagnose. At first, a person does not pay attention to the discomfort in the hand. He turns to a specialist for help when arthrosis of the wrist joint reaches stage 2.

How to treat the disease?

Many older people wonder how to treat arthrosis. The first thing you need to do is see a doctor. He will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the right medication.

Arthrosis of the fingers can be treated in 2 ways: conservative and surgical. Surgery is usually prescribed in the final stages.

Pathology of 1 or 2 severity is treated conservatively. Such therapy includes:

• taking medications;
• proper nutrition;
• hand exercises;
• physiotherapy;
• treatment with folk remedies.

Drug therapy should only be prescribed by the attending physician. A properly selected drug will provide the necessary therapeutic effect. Usually the patient is prescribed NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and chondroprotectors.

Among NSAIDs, drugs such as Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Ketoprofen, Meloxicam are often used. They eliminate pain, swelling and suppress the inflammatory process. The course of taking NSAIDs lasts 2 weeks. Chondroprotectors are used for the synthesis (restoration) of damaged cartilage tissue. Drugs such as Chondroxide, Glucosamine and their analogues are used.

Non-drug methods

Gymnastics for the hands plays an important role in the treatment of the disease. The most common exercises are:

1. Lightly tap on a hard surface with your fingertips.
2. Clenching and unclenching fists.
3. Exercises with rosaries.
4. Flexion and extension of the fingers (special attention should be paid to the thumb if rhizarthrosis is present).

The main rule of nutrition for patients is to exclude salt from the diet and eat alkaline foods. The diet for joint arthrosis consists of products such as:

• goat milk;
• whey;
• bread made from rye flour;
• fresh vegetables.

It is beneficial for the patient to take cabbage juice.

For arthrosis of the fingers, treatment with folk remedies is based on the use of baths of decoctions and herbal infusions. Commonly used plants are:

• birch leaf;
• comfrey;
• thyme;
• horsetail.

They help restore cartilage tissue and restore its former elasticity.

To prepare the decoction you will need 1 tbsp. l. dried medicinal plant per glass of boiling water. This product should be added to baths. It is recommended to carry out the procedure 2 or 3 times a week.

Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, the symptoms, causes of development and treatment of which we will consider below, is a fairly common problem. According to statistics, almost every fifth person encounters this disease in one way or another, but it is most common among people over 40 years of age. In addition, this disease is much more common in women.

The difficulty is that this disease progresses gradually, without immediately showing significant symptoms. Thus, people usually perceive minor pain in the knee simply as an annoying misunderstanding that will “go away on its own.” But the pain gradually becomes chronic, intensifies, the mobility of the joint is gradually limited, and after that it begins to gradually change its appearance. Then the person goes to the doctor, but the problem is that this happens in the later stages of the disease, when the treatment is already quite complex and often not very effective. Therefore, it is extremely useful to understand what arthrosis of the knee joint is of 1st and 2nd degree, when the symptoms are not yet too pronounced. But identifying the disease at this moment gives the greatest chance of successful treatment.

What are the reasons for the development of this disease?

Gonarthrosis is a fairly common disease that affects mainly older people. But over the past few years, this disease has become significantly “younger”; now people over 30 years of age fall into the “risk group”.

There are two main types of this disease - primary and secondary arthrosis. Primary is somewhat less common, but it is an independent disease that appears on its own, without being a consequence of the influence of other factors. However, the reasons for the development of this disease are not known, but it is believed that the cause of its development is metabolic disorders.

Thus, it is believed that almost any process in which damage to the articular cartilage occurs can lead to the development of arthrosis of the knee joint. This may be a metabolic disorder, endocrine disorders, various circulatory disorders (atherosclerosis, varicose veins, etc.).

One of the common causes of the development of the disease is physical activity and joint injuries. Thus, post-traumatic arthrosis of the knee joint is a common problem among athletes. But the stress on a joint is not always associated with sports - excess weight also puts stress on the joints, and trying to “lose weight” by running can be a serious mistake. For this reason, overweight people are advised to stop running and switch to brisk walking.

Secondary gonarthrosis most often occurs due to insufficiently correct or incomplete treatment of permanent microtraumas of the joints, which can occur due to:

• meniscopathies (meniscal injuries that can occur due to unsuccessful movements);
• genetic pathologies (it is believed that there is a genetic predisposition to diseases of this type, and a lack of a certain type of collagen may also be the cause);
• prolonged static loads on the joint (a striking example is squatting, in which the muscles are not too tense, but the joint is overloaded);
• excess weight (which also leads to constant excess load on the joint);
• significant loads on the joints (such occur when snowboarding and skiing, running, jumping, playing basketball and football).

Also, the cause of the development of the disease can be congenital inferiority of the knee joints, as well as inflammatory processes in these joints.

What are the symptoms at various clinical stages of gonarthrosis?

When discussing how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint, they often talk about the importance of timely diagnosis of the problem. Thus, all experts agree that it is much easier to stop the development of the disease if it was identified at the 1st or 2nd stage of development, but if this disease is diagnosed late, it is quite difficult to achieve any significant results in treatment. But the main problem is that in the early stages the disease manifests itself only slightly, so people often simply ignore such symptoms.

Thus, the only significant symptom of the disease at stage 1 is a dull pain that is localized deep in the joint. It usually appears after prolonged exercise, so people rarely pay attention to it.

Painful sensations in the 2nd stage of this disease are already more intense and prolonged, and “crunching” in the joints may also appear when walking. Some stiffness in the joints appears in the morning, but it disappears after some time of walking. There may be a slight limitation of mobility when extending and flexing the joint. But although there are many symptoms, they are all subtle, which is why most people relieve knee pain with conventional analgesics, and simply do not pay attention to other problems.

At the third stage, the pain becomes constant and intensifies regardless of whether the person moves or is at rest. Sensitivity to changes in weather appears, due to serious restrictions on movement in the joints, the gait changes sharply, the joint increases in size and becomes deformed. All this can be accompanied by frequent inflammation and tension in the muscles that are located near the joint.

Even a very patient person is no longer able to ignore such symptoms, which is why in most cases people turn to the doctor precisely at this stage of the disease. The problem is that the “process” has already been seriously launched, so it will be quite difficult to change the situation for the better.

How is this disease treated?

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint is a rather complex and extensive question. Typically, the treatment process combines a number of therapeutic measures that should relieve pain, activate blood circulation near the affected joint, stop the destruction of articular cartilage and speed up its recovery, increase the mobility of the joint itself and strengthen the surrounding muscles.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually used to relieve pain. Often their use is simply necessary, since the pain is constant and with any impact on the joint it intensifies. Thus, for arthrosis of the knee joint, NSAIDs are usually used before massage, exercise therapy or gymnastics. Various exercises and loads for arthrosis of the knee joint provoke an increase in pain, which is why it is necessary to “dampen” the pain first. But it is worth considering that NSAIDs themselves do not treat the joint, but simply perform the function of pain relief.

The main treatment is taking chondroprotectors. These drugs do not so much eliminate pain as help restore damaged cartilage tissue, as well as better production of joint fluid. Treatment of this disease simply makes no sense without these drugs, since there are essentially no other methods for restoring cartilage tissue.

Also, various ointments and creams, as well as compresses, are actively used in treatment. It should be understood that they cannot save a person from the disease; their main task is to relieve pain.

One common method is the use of intra-articular injections of corticosteroid drugs. They almost instantly relieve pain, which is why they have earned recognition from many doctors who began to prescribe them almost for preventive purposes. But at the same time, Evdokimenko (a representative of completely traditional medicine, a fairly well-known and respected specialist), as well as a number of other specialists, consider the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with the frequent use of such drugs to be unjustified, since in essence their entire effect comes down to pain relief, and often this can be achieved and less “drastic” means. At the same time, this drug itself requires compliance with certain rules, which many specialists simply do not think about, being carried away by the “instant” effect.

Nutrition also plays a significant role in treatment - the diet for arthrosis of the knee joints is not as demanding on the choice of products as on their quality, or more precisely, on the absence of preservatives and other “chemicals” in them.

Treatment of a disease such as arthrosis of the knee joint also involves the use of methods such as manual therapy, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises. But it can be noted that they are most effective in the early stages of the development of the disease.

Deformation of the facet (facet) joints occurs due to arthrosis - unfortunately, a fairly common disease. This disease is very unpleasant and painful. Most often it affects adults or older people, but there are cases of arthrosis found in very young people, due to some physical injuries or congenital diseases.

• Spondyloarthrosis of the facet joints
• Causes and symptoms
• Arthrosis of the lumbar spine
• Diagnostic and treatment methods
• Video on the topic

Spondyloarthrosis of the facet joints

Spondyloarthrosis of the facet joints is an inflammatory process that arises due to the destruction of cartilage tissue and all components of the joints, including bone tissue. Due to the uneven distribution of the load, the cartilage layer that protects the bone tissue from abrasion and deformation is destroyed, which ultimately leads to hypertrophy (deformation) of the facet joints. Such changes cannot allow the joints to function fully, and stiffness of the spine occurs.

There are three types of arthrosis of the facet vertebrae:

• cervicoarthrosis - deformation of the facet joints of the cervical spine;
• dorsarthrosis. The joints of the thoracic region are affected;
• lumboarthrosis, damage to the joints of the lumbar spine.

Causes and symptoms

Deformation of the facet joints most often develops for the following reasons:

• previous spinal injuries;
• excessive stress on the spine (professional sports);
• impaired metabolic processes in the body, as well as excess weight;
• a consequence of old age;
• other diseases (osteochondrosis, flat feet).

Symptoms of spondyloarthrosis of the facet joints may not appear for a long time. Arthrosis is often discovered during examinations related to completely different human complaints. At the very beginning of the disease, they can make themselves known with mild, nagging pain and discomfort during physical activity.
A more advanced stage of the disease can cause acute pain and stiffness of movement, the inability to bend and straighten in the spine.

Typically, people who spend a lot of time at the computer or sit for a long time in an incorrect position experience pain in the neck. Periodically, movements are accompanied by an unpleasant crunching sound. Gradually, a person loses the ability to fully turn or tilt his head.

Arthrosis of the lumbar spine

Arthrosis of the facet joints of the lumbar spine is a disease characteristic of people with a sedentary lifestyle. It occurs as a result of regular static loads on the lumbar region of the spine, often expressed by pain in the sacral region. The pain is nagging in nature and can radiate to the buttocks. Lumboarthrosis has another striking sign - stiffness of the lower back upon awakening.

With arthrosis of the thoracic joints, back pain is usually a concern. And in case of prolonged illness, difficulty breathing may also appear. But this type of arthrosis is considered the rarest.

If the disease is not treated promptly, it can lead to incapacity.

Diagnostic and treatment methods

If arthrosis is suspected, it is necessary to undergo an examination, which must include an X-ray examination of the spine. The image can determine the stage of the disease and the general condition of the spine and cartilage tissue.

Treatment of facet joint deformity is a long and painstaking process. In order to get the effect of the prescribed procedures, you need a comprehensive approach to the problem, including:

• drug treatment;
• wearing orthopedic corsets and collars;
• therapeutic exercises;
• massage;
• physiotherapy;
• alternative medicine methods;
• traditional methods of treatment.

When starting treatment, you should remember that the result will depend not only on the effect of drugs and prescriptions. It is necessary to reconsider all aspects of your lifestyle - lose excess weight, add useful physical activity and, possibly, adjust your diet.

The essence of drug treatment for joint deformity lies largely in blocking pain, as well as in restoring cartilage tissue. When using this method, injections are used, including intravenous and intervertebral, tablets and various ointments. These can be analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and also chondroprotectors that tend to support cartilage tissue.

Orthopedic correction, that is, wearing corsets and collars, is designed to reduce the load on the spine; this method must be used under the strict supervision of a doctor.

Massage for deformation of the facet joints is used to normalize muscle tone. To achieve better results, it is recommended to carry it out together with physical therapy.

Physiotherapy is also an important component of proper and effective treatment. For this disease, types of physiotherapy such as electrophoresis, ultrasound treatment and phonphoresis are used. By influencing the affected area, the devices improve blood flow and accelerate metabolic processes.

Alternative medicine methods include procedures such as hirudotherapy, manual therapy, and acupuncture. But only qualified and certified specialists should carry out such procedures. My patients use a proven remedy that allows them to get rid of pain in 2 weeks without much effort.

Owners of patent RU 2344849:

The invention relates to medicine, namely to physiotherapy and balneology. The impact is carried out with a low-intensity pulsed magnetic field on the area of ​​the paravertebral fields of the lumbar spine and the muscles that provide movement in the affected joints of the lower extremities. The impact is carried out with an intensity of single pulses of 135-200 mT, a pulse duration of 110±10 μs, and a pulse repetition rate of 4-16 Hz. The duration of the procedure is 9-12 minutes. The course consists of 8-10 procedures performed daily. In this case, 60-90 minutes after magnetic therapy, peloid therapy is performed. To do this, apply peat to the affected joints. During one procedure, no more than 2-4 large joints are affected. The exposure is carried out at a temperature of 23-25°C, lasting 15-20 minutes. The course consists of 8-10 procedures performed daily. The method improves the tolerability of the complex effects of magneto- and peloid therapy in elderly patients. 4 tables

The invention relates to medicine, namely physiotherapy and balneology, and can be used to treat patients with osteoarthritis in old age.

There is a known method of treating patients with osteoarthritis with multiple joint damage with symptoms of synovitis or periarthritis with galvanopeloid therapy with silt sulfide mud, carried out using a segmental-local technique after preliminary magnetic laser irradiation, against the background of a course of treatment with general hydrogen sulfide baths. The disadvantages of this method include the lack of differentiation of magnetic laser therapy parameters taking into account the age of patients, low efficiency in cases of disorders of lipid, carbohydrate and electrolyte metabolism, which are often found in patients with osteoarthritis in old age. The proposed duration and pulse power of magnetic laser therapy are not adapted to old age, since such a long (about 20 minutes) laser exposure and maximum pulse power can contribute to the development of the phenomenon of “exacerbation” of both osteoarthritis and concomitant cardiovascular diseases found in 44-87% of cases in patients of the older age group, due to the activation of lipid peroxidation processes, the damaging effects of free radicals on cell membranes and immunosuppression.

The disadvantages of this method also include a large number of side effects and the burden of hydrogen sulfide baths in elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases due to increased load on the heart, tachycardia, a sharp increase in cardiac output and a possible increase in blood pressure and deterioration of coronary blood flow during and after the procedures. In addition, the use of silt sulfide and other alkaline mud helps to increase the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system during and after procedures, which can lead to increased sympathicotonia and a deterioration in the condition of patients with concomitant cardiac pathology due to the resulting negative changes in the functional state of the cardiovascular system. systems. The processes of excitation in the central nervous system intensify, which without proper correction can lead to a “failure of adaptation” and autonomic regulation, an increase in blood pressure and heart rate in this category of patients.

The closest to the proposed method is the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis complicated by reactive synovitis, carried out by simultaneous exposure of the area of ​​the affected and symmetrical knee joint to applications of sapropel mud and a constant magnetic field using a labile technique. However, this method of treatment does not involve the impact of a magnetic field on the neuromuscular structures that provide the biomechanics of the spine and limbs, which limits the use of the above method of treatment in patients with osteoarthritis who have orthopedic disorders in the form of spinal deformities, changes in the position of the pelvis, imbalances in the biomechanical systems of the limbs and spine caused by hypotension and muscle wasting and joint stiffness. In addition, the constant magnetic field used in this method of treatment is devoid of neurostimulating and vasoactive therapeutic effects necessary to increase the lability of the neuromuscular system and enhance local blood flow, helping to reduce venous stagnation, ischemia, tissue swelling, and remove cell autolysis products from the site of inflammation , as well as stimulation of the processes of reparative regeneration of damaged joint tissues and a significant improvement in their trophism, which ultimately results in an increase in the range of motion in the affected joints and a slowdown in the progression of the disease.

A new technical challenge is to improve the tolerability and increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatment for elderly patients with osteoarthritis by reducing the activity of inflammation, harmonizing the state of the immune system and the lipid peroxidation system and antioxidant protection, increasing the tone of the muscles that provide movement in the spine and affected joints, optimizing blood circulation processes along the capillary bed, activation of metabolic processes in articular and periarticular tissues, increasing the adaptive capabilities of the body while reducing the number of complications.

To solve the problem in the method of treating patients with osteoarthritis in old age, which consists in the complex effect of magneto- and peloidotherapy, carried out daily, a low-intensity pulsed magnetic field is applied to the area of ​​the paravertebral fields of the lumbar spine and the muscles that provide movement in the affected joints of the lower extremities, with intensity single pulses 135-200 mT, pulse duration 110±10 μs, pulse repetition rate 4-16 Hz, procedure duration 9-12 minutes, daily, for a course of 8-10 procedures, while peat applications are carried out 60-90 minutes after magnetic therapy on the affected joints, but no more than 2-4 large joints per procedure, at a temperature of 23-25°C, lasting 15-20 minutes, daily, for a course of 8-10 procedures.

Example 1. Patient Sh., 74 years old, was admitted for treatment with a diagnosis of: Primary osteoarthritis: polyostearthrosis with predominant damage to the hip, knee, ankle joints, Rg stage III, insufficiency of joint function I, complicated by flexion contracture of the left knee joint.

Upon admission, she complained of severe pain (3 points) of aching or aching nature in the hip, knee, ankle joints, disturbing during movement and at rest, of a “starting” nature, intensifying after physical exertion, hypothermia, as well as in the evening and at first half the night, limited movement in the left hip and left knee joints, crunching, pain (2 points) in the lumbar spine, worsening with prolonged standing and after bending work.

From the anamnesis: he considers himself sick since 2001, when pain first appeared in the left hip and left knee joints. An examination was carried out in a hospital setting, based on the data from which primary osteoarthritis was diagnosed, the diagnosis was confirmed by x-ray examination of the hip joints, she received treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid anti-inflammatory drugs injected into the joint cavity, the positive effect of which lasted for 3-4 months. In 2005, she received sanatorium-resort treatment, after which she noted an improvement.

The following comorbidities were identified in the patient: lumbar osteochondrosis, lumbodynia with neurodystrophic manifestations in the stage of incomplete remission, hypertension, stage II, degree of arterial hypertension 2, risk of complications 3, NC I, longitudinal-transverse flatfoot of degree II.

Objective status: hypersthenic build, height 152 cm, weight 80 kg. General condition is satisfactory. The skin and mucous membranes are clean. The lymph nodes are not enlarged, painless, and not fused with the surrounding connective tissue. The heart sounds are clear, the rhythm is correct, the emphasis of the second tone is on the pulmonary artery. Blood pressure 148/100 mmHg. Pulse 76 beats per minute. Breathing is vesicular, weakened in the lower parts, wheezing is not heard. The abdomen is soft and painless on palpation. S-shaped scoliosis of the spine I degree. Lumbar hyperlordosis. Pronounced defence of the rectus dorsi muscles, more pronounced on the left, defence of the lumbar muscles, also more pronounced on the left. Compensatory skewing of the pelvis to the left. Imaginary shortening of the left lower limb by 2 cm. Hypotrophy of the muscles of the left buttock, left thigh (circumference of the right thigh is 57 cm, left - 54 cm), left shin (circumference of the right shin is 28 cm, left - 26 cm). Flexion contracture of the left knee joint. On palpation, pain in the projection area of ​​the tuberosity of the left and right femur, knee and ankle joints in the projection of the joint space. Movements in the above joints cause pain and crunching, more pronounced on the left. The range of motion in the left hip joint is limited due to incomplete abduction (25° when the norm is 45°), adduction (0° when the norm is 30°), internal rotation (15° when the norm is 45°), external rotation (10° when the norm is 45° flexion (80° with a norm of 120°), extension (5° with a norm of 15°), in the left knee joint due to flexion (95° with a norm of 135-150°).

X-ray examination of the hip joints: the joint spaces are narrowed, more on the left. Subchondral osteosclerosis of the endplates of the femoral heads and roofs of the acetabulum. Flattening of the head of the left femur. Small marginal osteophytes of the endplates of the roofs of both acetabulums. Conclusion: osteoarthritis of the right hip joint, stage II, osteoarthritis of the left hip joint, stage III.

Biochemical blood parameters before treatment: catalase - 34.6 µkatal/l (with a norm of 4.5-30.0 µkatal/l), sialic acids - 2.58 mmol/l (with a norm of 1.9-2.5 mmol/ l), ceruloplasmin - 418 mg/l (at normal 280-400 mg/l), malondialdehyde - 3.9 mmol/l (at normal<3,8 ммоль/л).

Immunological blood test before treatment: T-lymphocytes - 30% (with a norm of 40-69%), T-helpers - 13% (with a norm of 23-45%), T-suppressors - 17% (with a norm of 22-28%) , immunoglobulins A - 3.0 g/l (with a norm of 1.25-2.8 g/l), immunoglobulins G - 18.1 g/l (with a norm of 8.4-17 g/l), lysozyme - 34 % (at a norm of 28-32%), circulating immune complexes - 100 conventional units. (at a norm of 45-90 conventional units).

The adaptive reaction before treatment was assessed as a reaction of calm activation of a low level of reactivity (the number of lymphocytes is 31% when the norm is 19-40%, the number of eosinophils is 6% when the norm is 1-5%).

Results of electroneuromyographic study before treatment: amplitude of global electromyogram m. rectus femoris at the maximum arbitrary voltage on the right - 152 μV, on the left - 142 μV (with a norm of at least 300 μV).

The results of the study of microcirculation in the projection of the knee joints using laser Doppler flowmetry before treatment: the average value of the microcirculation index (MC) is 2.92 perf. units (norm 4.04±0.36 perf. units), coefficient of variation - 8.24 perf. units, microcirculation efficiency index - 0.83 perf. units (norm 1.9±0.4 perf. units), amplitude of low-frequency oscillations - 8.5% of PM (norm 20-55%), high-frequency oscillations - 7.1% (norm 20%) and pulse - 7.1 % (5-7%), Δ PM during a respiratory test - 11% (with the norm being 15-20%).

The treatment was carried out in accordance with the claimed method. From the 1st day of treatment at the clinic, the patient was prescribed magnetic therapy, which used a low-intensity pulsed magnetic field on the area of ​​the paravertebral fields of the lumbar spine (field 1, 2), knee joints (field 3, 4) and the muscles of the anterior thighs (field 5, 6 field) with a single pulse intensity of 200 mT, pulse duration 110±10 μs, pulse repetition rate 4 Hz, procedure duration 12 minutes (6 minutes for 1,2 fields, 3 minutes for 3,4,5,6 fields when using two-inductor technique), daily, for a course of 10 procedures, 60 minutes after magnetic therapy, peloid therapy was carried out, which used peat applications on the hip and knee joints at a temperature of 23-25°C, lasting 20 minutes, daily, for a course of 10 procedures.

The patient tolerated the treatment well. Clinical manifestations of balneoreaction were not recorded. No sharp fluctuations in autonomic indices characterizing the state of autonomic regulation of the cardiorespiratory system were detected. After completion of treatment according to the claimed method, pain in the affected joints during movement decreased significantly (1 point), pain at rest and during palpation stopped (0 points), the range of motion in the left hip joint increased (abduction from 25° to 35°, internal rotation with 15° to 20°, external rotation from 10° to 20°, flexion from 80° to 95°), left knee joint (flexion from 95° to 110°).

Normalization of the initially changed biochemical and immunological blood parameters was noted: catalase - 13.3 μcatal/l, sialic acids - 2.5 mmol/l, ceruloplasmin - 400 mg/l, malondialdehyde - 2.4 mmol/l, T-lymphocytes - 40%, T-helpers - 23%, class A immunoglobulins - 1.7 g/l, class G immunoglobulins - 16.0 g/l, lysozyme - 28%, circulating immune complexes - 90 conventional units.

The adaptive capabilities of the body have improved: the adaptation reaction after treatment is regarded as a reaction of increased activation of a high level of reactivity (the number of lymphocytes is 34% when the norm is 19-40%, the number of eosinophils is 4% when the norm is 1-5%).

An increase in the amplitude of the global electromyogram m was detected. rectus femoris at maximum arbitrary voltage on the right from 152 µV to 425 µV, on the left from 142 µV to 312 µV (with a norm of at least 300 µV).

An increase in the average value of the microcirculation index was recorded from 2.92 perf. units up to 4.78 perf. units, coefficient of variation with 8.24 perf. units up to 15.59 perf. units, the amplitude of low-frequency oscillations from 8.5% to 22.5%, high-frequency oscillations from 7.1% to 11.2% and Δ PM during a breathing test from 11% to 19%, a decrease in the amplitude of pulse oscillations from 7.1 % to 6.7%,.

Control studies carried out on the patient after 3 and 6 months revealed that the achieved therapeutic effect was maintained throughout the entire observation period.

Example 2. Patient K., 65 years old, was admitted for treatment with a diagnosis of: Primary osteoarthritis: polyosteoarthrosis with predominant damage to the interphalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of the feet, knees, ankle joints, Rg stage II, insufficiency of joint function I, complicated by reactive synovitis of the ankle joints .

Upon admission, she complained of moderate pain (2 points) of aching or aching nature in the interphalangeal joints of the hands and feet, knee, ankle joints, disturbing during movement and at rest, of a “starting” nature, intensifying after physical exertion, hypothermia, as well as in the evening and in the first half of the night, swelling of the ankle joints (2 points), limitation of movements in the knee joints, crunching, aching pain (2 points) in the muscles of the legs, lower back, poor sleep (due to pain in the joints).

From the anamnesis: his condition has been deteriorating since 1997, when pain appeared in the joints of the lower extremities. An outpatient examination was carried out, based on the data from which primary osteoarthritis was diagnosed, she received treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors, herbal medicines, the positive effect of which lasted for 2-3 months.

The following comorbidities were identified in the patient: hypertension, stage II, degree of arterial hypertension 1, risk of complications 3, NC I, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, lumbodynia, subacute stage, impaired carbohydrate tolerance, obesity degree III.

Objective status: normosthenic build, height 160 cm, weight 96 kg. General condition is satisfactory. The skin and mucous membranes are clean. The lymph nodes are not enlarged, painless, and not fused with the surrounding connective tissue. The heart sounds are clear, the rhythm is correct, the accent of the second tone is on the aorta. Blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg. Pulse 74 beats per minute. Breathing is vesicular, wheezing is not heard. The abdomen is soft and painless on palpation. Valgus deformity of the first metatarsophalangeal joints of the feet, varus deformity of the legs. The configuration of the ankle joints is more pronounced on the left (the volume of the right ankle joint is 23 cm, the left one is 25 cm). The proximal interphalangeal joints of the feet, knee, ankle joints, and first metatarsophalangeal joints are painful on palpation. Movements in the above joints cause pain and crunching. The range of motion in the left knee joint is limited due to pain (flexion 120° when normal is 135-150°).

X-ray examination of the knee joints: no bone-destructive changes were detected. The joint spaces are narrowed, more so on the left. Osteosclerosis of the tibial endplates. Sharpening of intercondylar elevations. Marginal osteophytes of both femurs and patellas. Conclusion: osteoarthritis, stage II.

Biochemical blood parameters before treatment: glucose - 6.6 mmol/l (with a norm of 3.5-5.7 mmol/l), catalase - 39.4 µkatal/l (with a norm of 4.5-30.0 µkatal/l ), sialic acids - 2.96 mmol/l (with a norm of 1.9-2.5 mmol/l), ceruloplasmin - 468 mg/l (with a norm of 280-400 mg/l), malondialdehyde - 4.2 mmol /l (at normal<3,8 ммоль/л).

Immunological blood test before treatment: T-lymphocytes - 39% (with a norm of 40-69%), T-helpers - 20% (with a norm of 23-45%), T-suppressors - 19% (with a norm of 22-28%) , class A immunoglobulins - 5.4 g/l (with a norm of 1.25-2.8 g/l), class G immunoglobulins 21.6 g/l (with a norm of 8.4-17.0 g/l), lysozyme - 38% (at a norm of 28-32%), circulating immune complexes - 25 conventional units. (at a norm of 45-90 conventional units).

The adaptive response before treatment was assessed as a training response of a low level of reactivity (the number of lymphocytes is 26% when the norm is 19-40%, the number of segmented neutrophils is 70% when the norm is 45-68%).

Results of electroneuromyographic study before treatment: amplitude of global electromyogram m. rectus femoris with a maximum arbitrary voltage on the right of 172 μV, on the left 198 μV (with a norm of at least 300 μV).

The results of the study of microcirculation in the projection of the knee joints using laser Doppler flowmetry before treatment: the average value of the microcirculation index (MC) is 2.09 perf. units (norm 4.04±0.36 perf. units), microcirculation efficiency index 0.83 perf. units (norm 1.9±0.4 perf. units), amplitude of low-frequency oscillations 19.6% of PM (norm 20-55%), high-frequency 52% (norm 20%) and pulse 6.6 (5-7% ), DPM during a breath test - 28% (with the norm being 15-20%).

The treatment was carried out in accordance with the claimed method. From the day of admission to the clinic, the patient was prescribed magnetic therapy, which used a low-intensity pulsed magnetic field on the paravertebral fields of the lumbar spine (field 1, 2) and ankle joints (field 3, 4, 5, 6) with a single pulse intensity of 135 mT, duration pulses 110±10 μs, pulse repetition rate 16 Hz, procedure duration 9 minutes (3 minutes per field when using a two-inductor technique), daily, for a course of 8 procedures, 60 minutes after magnetic therapy, peloid therapy was carried out, for which peat-type applications were used “high boots” at a temperature of 23-25°C, lasting 15 minutes, daily, for a course of 8 procedures.

The patient tolerated the treatment well. Clinical manifestations of balneoreaction were not recorded. No sharp fluctuations in autonomic indices characterizing the state of autonomic regulation of the cardiorespiratory system were detected. After completion of treatment according to the claimed method, the pain in the affected joints during movement decreased significantly (0.5 points), pain at rest and during palpation stopped (0 points), the phenomena of reactive synovitis disappeared (0 points - the circumference of the right knee joint - 22 cm, left - 22 cm), the range of motion in the left knee joint increased (flexion from 120°C to 135°C).

Normalization of initially changed biochemical and immunological blood parameters was noted: glucose - 5.6 mmol/l, catalase - 20.9 μcatal/l, sialic acids -2.41 mmol/l, ceruloplasmin - 399 mg/l, malondialdehyde - 3, 7 mmol/l, T-lymphocytes - 49%, T-helpers - 27%, T-suppressors - 22%, class A immunoglobulins - 2.8 g/l, lysozyme - 32%, circulating immune complexes - 80 conventional units .

The adaptive capabilities of the body have improved: the adaptation reaction after treatment is regarded as a reaction of calm activation of a high level of reactivity (the number of lymphocytes is 32% when the norm is 19-40%, the number of segmented neutrophils is 62% when the norm is up to 68%).

An increase in the amplitude of the global electromyogram m was detected. rectus femoris at maximum voluntary voltage on the right from 172 µV to 280 µV, the rectus femoris muscle on the left from 198 µV to 290 µV.

An increase in the average values ​​of the microcirculation index was recorded from 2.09 perf. units up to 3.12 perf. units and microcirculation efficiency index from 0.83 perf. units up to 2.21 perf. units, normalization of the amplitude of low-frequency (before treatment 19.6%, after treatment 27.5%) and high-frequency oscillations (before treatment 52%, after treatment 18.7%), Δ PM during a respiratory test (before treatment 28%, after treatment 15.3%).

The immediate result of treatment was assessed as a significant improvement.

Control studies carried out on the patient after 3, 6, 9 months revealed that the achieved therapeutic effect was maintained throughout the entire observation period.

Pulse magnetic therapy has a pronounced neurostimulating, vasoactive, trophic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and draining-dehydrating effect, which serves as a pathogenetic rationale for its use in osteoarthritis, including complicated reactive synovitis, especially in elderly patients. The clinical implementation of the above effects is manifested in improved functioning of the neuromuscular system, reduction of swelling of the affected joints, inflammation, pain, which is subjectively assessed by patients as improved well-being, increased performance, etc. . The parameters for prescribing pulsed magnetic therapy (magnetic field intensity, pulse duration, pulse repetition frequency, duration of the procedure) were selected taking into account the prevention of possible aggravation of the symptoms of synovitis and edema of the limb by increasing muscle activity, which initiates the intensification of blood flow to the affected limb when its outflow is insufficient in elderly patients age. The impact zones (paravertebral reflex-segmental zones of the spine and muscles that provide movement in the affected joints) are determined taking into account the need for effective treatment of myofascial pain syndrome in osteoarthritis, the genesis of which is neuromuscular, vascular, interstitial, arthrogenic and static-dynamic factors. Carrying out magnetic therapy 60-90 minutes before peloid therapy is due to the presence of a hypocoagulating effect of the magnetic field, which makes it possible to level out hypercoagulable states of the blood during application peloid therapy for patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, especially with concomitant atherosclerosis, due to a decrease in the production of individual procoagulants, an increase in fibrinolytic and antithrombin activity of blood.

The inclusion of peloid therapy in the complex treatment of patients with osteoarthritis is due to the pronounced anti-inflammatory, trophic, analgesic, immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects of peloids in osteoarthritis. The proposed method uses peat mud, which has advantages over silt sulfide mud specifically for elderly patients, since peat mud helps inhibit the secretion of glucocorticoids and catecholamines, in contrast to silt mud, which stimulates these processes. In addition, peloid therapy with peat mud leads to an increase in the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system, as a result of which its adaptive and trophic functions are enhanced and long-term adaptation to various environmental factors is formed.

The temperature and exposure of mud applications are selected in accordance with the range that is most preferable in physiotherapeutic practice for patients with osteoarthritis in old age.

The duration of the treatment course was determined taking into account literary data and the results of clinical observations, indicating that improvement in clinical symptoms during balneopeloid therapy occurs after 5-7 procedures. Therefore, the lower limit for the duration of treatment in this category of patients was 8 procedures. At 11-12 procedures, there is an increase in sympatho-adrenal activity and an increase in the frequency of astheno-vegetative disorders, which determined the limitation of the course of treatment to 8-10 procedures.

26 patients were treated using the proposed method. The control group consisted of 14 patients who received daily low-intensity laser therapy on the affected joints from the Mustang 2000 apparatus using a contact stable technique, the emitter was placed in the projection of the joint space, with a pulse repetition rate of 1500 Hz from procedure 1 to 5, a pulse repetition rate of 80 Hz from 6 to 8-10 procedures, with a pulsed radiation power of 2-4 W, with exposure per field for 1-2 minutes, up to 5-6 fields per procedure, total procedure duration 10-12 minutes, daily, per course up to 8-10 procedures, 60 minutes after laser therapy, peloid therapy was carried out, which used peat applications on the affected joints, no more than 2-4 large joints per procedure, at a temperature of 36-37 ° C, lasting 15-20 minutes, daily, for a course 8-10 procedures.

The results obtained convincingly prove that treatment according to the claimed method makes it possible to achieve more significant positive dynamics in terms of the main symptoms of the disease in patients with osteoarthritis in old age (Table 1, where * is the significance of the difference in the group p<0,05; *** - достоверность различия в группе р<0,001), средних значений некоторых исходно измененных биохимических и иммунологических показателей крови, характеризующих наличие и степень выраженности воспаления в суставных тканях, состояние системы перекисного окисления липидов и антиоксидантной защиты, иммунной системы (табл.2, где * - достоверность различия в группе р<0,05) по сравнению с группой контроля (II), повысить исходно сниженный тонус мышц нижних конечностей, в частности прямых мышц бедер, что является важным фактором коррекции осевых установок, соответствующих здоровым суставам, и как следствие, защиты патологически измененных суставов конечностей от прогрессирующей деструкции. После лечения заявляемым способом у пациентов с низкоамплитудными электромиограммами m.m. rectus femoris выявлено увеличение амплитуд интерференционной кривой максимального произвольного усилия (табл.3, где *** - достоверность различия в группе р<0,001). У пациентов контрольной группы достоверного улучшения функциональных параметров, характеризующих состояние нейромоторного аппарата нижних конечностей, не выявлено. Кроме того, предлагаемый способ лечения больных остеоартрозом в пожилом возрасте более значимо (по сравнению с группой контроля - II) нормализует расстройства капиллярного кровотока и сопряженных изменений в микрососудах артериолярного и венулярного звеньев микроциркуляторного русла за счет улучшения активных механизмов регуляции микроциркуляции (эндотелиального, нейрогенного, миогенного), а также оптимизации приспособительных механизмов пропускной способности микрососудистой сети путем использования резервных возможностей артериального отдела капилляров (шунтов) (табл.4, где * - достоверность различия в группе р<0,05, ∧ - достоверность различия между группами р<0,01), что приводит к повышению транспорта кислорода, увеличению доставки энергетических и пластических материалов, гормонов и микроэлементов к клеткам, а следовательно, улучшению трофики суставных тканей и замедлению прогрессии патологического процесса. Следует также отметить, что комплексное восстановительное лечение, проводимое по заявляемому способу, адекватно адаптационным возможностям организма больных остеоартрозом пожилого возраста. По окончании лечебного курса 80% пациентов основной группы (I) имели реакцию спокойной активации (РСА) (все случаи с высоким уровнем реактивности - ВУР), 20% - реакцию повышенной активации также высокого уровня реактивности, в то время как до лечения таковая не фиксировалась. Кроме того, после курса восстановительного лечения ни у одного из пациентов не была зафиксирована реакция переактивации, в группе контроля (II) она диагностирована у 18,1% больных. Вышеизложенное свидетельствует об уравновешенности расхода и накопления энергии, способствующей гармонизации деятельности систем организма, обеспечивающей восстановление его резервов. Более того, формирование реакций активации, особенно повышенной высокого уровня реактивности, создает условия для количественного роста живой массы и энергии, что, в свою очередь, способствует развитию структурной упорядоченности, замедлению темпов старения и течения индивидуального биологического времени, увеличению продолжительности жизни, т.е. развитию процессов самоорганизации .