Knees crunch when bent: what to do?

Each of us tries to maintain an active lifestyle and move more, regardless of age, free time and state of health. We are not looking for excuses, we are looking for opportunities. But what if the joints hurt when moving, do not give a normal bend and unbend the legs at the knees? This is often observed in older people. What to do? Is it really necessary to give up all the pleasures of life, citing old age? Do you have to while away the time just on the couch in front of the TV? No matter how! With a crunch in the knees, you can cope and do it really effectively. Today we will talk about pain and crunch in the knees, the causes of this phenomenon, as well as the main medication and home remedies for this problem.

Why knees crunch

The knee is the largest joint in the human body. With it, we can walk, bend the leg, move and stand. Inside the joint is synovial fluid, which protects the joint itself from wear and reduces bone friction and cartilage over each other. If a person feels a crunch in the knees when moving, flexing and straightening, this indicates destruction of the joint. A crunch in the knees may occur against the background of external minor factors or may be associated with internal diseases of the patient's musculoskeletal system. So, let's try to figure out what might cause a crunch in the knees.

1. A crunch in the knee may be caused by an excessive load on the joint. This happens if a person lifts weights. Very often, this problem occurs in weightlifters.
2. Uncomfortable shoes can lead to pain and crunches in the knees. This is especially true for women who wear high heels. The arch of the foot when wearing such shoes changes, the center of gravity moves, the knee joint is forced to work in an unnatural position.
3. In many cases, the patient is overweight.With obesity, the pressure on the joint increases several times, it gradually collapses.
4. A crunch in the knees may accompany sedentary people with sedentary work.
5. In some cases, the cause of the crunch in the knees can be unhealthy diet, namely, the consumption of sweet, salty and spicy foods.
6. Cartilage may be weak due to insufficient hormone production.
7. A crunch in the knees when flexing is one of the main signs of lack of calcium in the body.
8. But most often the crunch in the knees occurs against the background of diseases. The crunch can occur with such diagnoses as arthritis, arthrosis, meniscus damage, gonarthrosis, bursitis, damage to the ligaments and tendons of the knee joint.
9. The knees may crunch due to dislocations and fractures of the bones that form the knee joint.
10. Older people are at risk because with age the amount of synovial fluid decreases, the cartilage joint wears out, additional chronic diseases are felt.
11. Often, a crunch in the knees occurs in professional athletes, because the strain on the knee joints in many sports is enormous, andThis is the result of intensive training and gradual wear of the body.
12. A crunch in the knees can be a consequence of osteoporosis, when the bones become porous and fragile. This is often observed in older women.
13. The knees may crack due to congenital abnormalities of the knee joint, different lengths of the limbs, and even due to flat feet.

To determine the nature of the symptom, it is necessary to consult a doctor. As a rule, such problems are dealt with by a traumatologist; you may need the help of a rheumatologist and even a nutritionist to reduce overweight. Setting the correct diagnosis depends on many factors. First of all, the doctor conducts an examination and collects anamnesis. It is very important to tell a specialist about the conditions of your work, about physical activities and available sports injuries. You also need to identify the hereditary factor and analyze associated diseases. For a more accurate diagnosis, you may need an x-ray and ultrasound of the knee, CT and MRI. In some cases, even synovial fluid may be taken for analysis.

Drug treatment of crunch in the knees

Treatment of crunch in the knees is very peculiar and differs significantly depending on the initial diagnosis. Here are some general recommendations that will help you to stop the pain and improve the work of the knee joint.

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs. This group of drugs is effective for arthritis and arthrosis. They can be in the form of tablets, but it is much more effective to take drugs in injections. Among them are Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Indomethacin, etc.
2. For cartilage tissue. These are external and internal preparations that restore the integrity of the cartilage tissue, contributing to the production of collagen. These are Hondroksid, Chondroitin, Rumalon.
3. Warming ointment. To relieve pain and be able to actively move, you can use warming and analgesic ointments. This is Finalgon, Kapsikam, Voltaren.
4. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ointment. In addition to drugs that need to be taken orally, nonsteroidal ointments can be applied to the knee. They relieve inflammation and swelling, relieve pain. Among these drugs can be distinguished Nise, Ortofen, Ketoprofen.
5. Corticosteroids. This is a rather serious group of hormonal drugs, which is prescribed if non-steroidal drugs no longer help. The most effective drugs in this group are Prednisolone, Hydrocartisone.
6. Vitamins. Reception of a multivitamin complex is required. The complex should contain calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 - they restore the structure of cartilage and bone tissue.

Remember, only a doctor can prescribe a medicine, you should not prescribe yourself these or other drugs yourself. However, any doctor will tell you with certainty that drug therapy is not in the first place in the fight against a crunch in the knees.

Exercises for healthy knees

Problems with the knees in most cases arise precisely from low motor activity. Therefore, physical therapy should be done to develop knee joints and strengthen the muscles that support the bones and cartilage.

1. Lying on your back, bend and unbend your knees, gently moving your feet on the floor. Do this exercise in the morning and evening of every day, for this you can not even get out of bed.
2. This exercise is also performed supine.Do rotational movements by legs, bending and unbending them in knees, as the bicycle. All movements should be smooth, slow, measured.
3. Swimming is very useful and effective. In water, the load on the knees is reduced, the weight is felt not so sharply. Do not just swimming, and aqua aerobics.
4. Simple sit-ups for sore knees are contraindicated, as this is a serious load, due to which the pain can increase. But you can squat, holding the back of a chair. You can train not just effectively, but also safely.
5. It is useful to ride a bike - in this case, the load on the joint is minimal, since most of the weight falls on the bike itself, and not on the knees.

Doing exercise, you need to listen to your body. Movement should be smooth, should not bring you discomfort or pain. Excessive and intense load you now needlessly, it will only aggravate your condition.

In addition to physical therapy, you must go to physiotherapy. In the fight against crunchy knees, it is useful to do electrophoresis. During the procedure, the drug is injected into the deeper layers of the cartilaginous joint using an electric current.In addition, they use magnetic and laser therapy, warming procedures - paraffin, dirt, etc.

Massage

To overcome knee pain, treatment must be multifaceted and comprehensive. One of the conditions for rapid recovery is a massage. It is best to perform a massage with warming ointments and creams. It is very good to use medicinal compositions based on snake and bee venom for massage, one of the effective ointments is Viprosal. Massage should be done carefully, applying moderate effort. Squeeze a small amount of ointment on your knee, spread it over your skin and begin to perform circular movements. Ointment must be rubbed into the skin and cartilage. Apply the tool to the front and back sides of the knees, and then wound on the affected area elastic bandage. Do a massage before bedtime so that after the procedure the leg warms up in a state of rest.

Diet

Often, the destruction of cartilage tissue occurs due to the lack of certain vitamins that reproduce cartilage tissue. A large amount of collagen for the joints is contained in the chill. Strong rich broth in the cooled form must be consumed every day.Much better if it is cooked from beef bones. In addition, you need to eat balanced. Eat more vegetables and fruits, lean on dairy products - they have a lot of calcium. Nuts and fresh herbs have a favorable effect on the condition of bones and cartilage. In the diet should be meat, sea fish. It is useful to eat canned fish, because along with the meat we eat and soft fish bones. They are also useful for restoring cartilage tissue. In addition, nutrition plays a crucial role in the fight against obesity. Eat often and in small portions, give up the flour and sweet, do not eat up at night - it will help you reduce the weight and stress on the knee joints.

Folk remedies against crunch in the knees

In the treasury of folk wisdom there are many useful recipes that will help you to establish the production of collagen and cartilage tissue, relieve from pain and swelling in the knees.

1. Dairy bran. A glass of bran should be poured with boiling milk and let them swell. When the mass is slightly cooled, it should be shifted into the package and make a compress on the sore knees. Milk bran keeps warm for a long time, relieves inflammation and pain.
2. Oil and orange. You can make a lotion from orange juice and olive oil. Mix the ingredients in equal proportions, soak a piece of gauze in the composition and apply it to the sore knees.
3. Decoction of spruce cones. This tool will help you repair cartilage tissue. 10-15 spruce cones need to grind and pour a glass of boiling water. Insist broth in a thermos for at least a day. Drink half a glass every morning on an empty stomach.
4. Chalk and sour milk. Regular chalk should be crushed to a state of powder, mix it with kefir or yogurt. It turns out a white mixture, which must be applied to the knee as a compress and fix it with cling film. If you do the lotion daily, your knees will stop hurting in two weeks.
5. Honey, glycerin and alcohol. Mix these ingredients in equal proportions and get an effective medicinal ointment. Smear her knees need only in the event of crunch and pain. Keep the composition in the refrigerator, before use, warm up in a water bath. Honey heals sore joints, restores cartilage tissue. Alcohol gently warms and relieves inflammation and pain. Glycerin is needed to soften the skin, so that other medicinal ingredients penetrate deeper, and the ointment is more effective.

Remember, to achieve a real result, you need to combine drug treatment with massage, exercise, physiotherapy and folk recipes. Only in this case, you can get rid of pain and crunch in the knees once and for all.

Knees often hurt older people, but do not take this for granted. It is quite possible to protect against knee pains. First, you need to monitor your weight, because it is overweight that creates a serious load on the joints. Secondly, move more, walk, exercise, train and develop joints. Third, watch out for nutrition. The diet should be rich and diverse, in the spring and winter drink multivitamin complexes. Eliminate or limit salt intake. Drink plenty of water - because its deficiency can lead to cellular dehydration and depletion of tissues. Give up high heels - no more than 4 centimeters. If you work at an active job, look for time to rest. If your profession forces you to constantly sit, you need to take breaks for exercises and warm-ups. If you lean on your lap while you work or play sports,use knee pads - they will protect you from excessive load.

To keep your knees from crunching, you need to protect them from hypothermia. Treat timely comorbidities. If you notice that your knees have begun to ache, immediately apply medical measures - exercise therapy, massage, compresses. Do not wait for the pain to become more pronounced. Monitor your health and take timely treatment. And then the body will respond to you with strength and well-being!

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