Each of our joints has two surfaces that fit together like a key in a lock. All the bulges on one articular surface correspond to the depressions on the other side. Such an exact coincidence of surfaces has a medical name - congruence. From above, the ends of the bones that make up the joint are covered with cartilage for better sliding. The articular sac, ligaments and muscles protect the joint. Osteoarthritis destroys one of the most common diseases of the joints, cartilage and bone surfaces. At the same time, little is produced by a special key fluid, which ensures smooth movement, the ends of the bones come together and begin to rub against each other, bringing pain and discomfort to its owner. Meanwhile, with osteoarthritis, there is formally no inflammation in the joint, which distinguishes it from arthritis.
Why osteoarthritis of the hip occurs: age
A disaster such as osteoarthritis can happen to any joint in our body. The loss is one-sided and two-sided. Age, overweight, injuries, flat feet, scoliosis of the spine, arthritis, dislocation of the joints, excessive load on it, but at the same time, a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the onset of the disease. Links are made to move! Meanwhile, upright posture predisposes to osteoarthritis of the human thigh. In animals, such a disease does not occur, in them the load on the joints is distributed more evenly.
The thigh ligament is the second in terms of range of motion behind the shoulder joint. And indeed, normally, we can move the foot back and forth, out and in, and even rotational motion. This coupling carries a very high load. It consists of the femoral head and a nest in the pelvic bone. Osteoarthritis of this joint is medically known as coxarthrosis. A large number of people suffer from this disease. Women are more often ill and, of course, the peak of the disease occurs after the age of 40 years. In 70% of cases, this is due to the natural consumption of the joint, impaired blood supply and metabolism in it.
Signs of joint damage: pain while walking and at rest
The first symptom of osteoarthritis of the thigh is pain in the groin when climbing stairs. There may be no pain when descending the stairs. Later, the pain may begin to spread to the knee. A portion of the various movements in the joints will be limited. For example, raising the leg, i. e. bending it at the groin, can be painful, but getting the leg back is not. Turning the foot from the inside out is painful, and moving it sideways is also painful, but tolerable. It is often not possible to kneel as this movement also involves the hip joint. And restrictions on movement arise not only because of pain, but also because of changes in the joint itself.
Due to the fact that the thigh joint is involved in walking, running and a host of other movements, its loss imposes social restrictions on the patient. And with third-degree osteoarthritis, the pain is already bothersome not only during movements, but also at rest, in particular, they do not let you sleep at night. It's hard to get back in bed. And sometimes the pain is so severe that it forces the patient to constantly take sedatives, which in itself is not always harmless. So frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can lead to the formation or worsening of gastric ulcer.
Treatment of osteoarthritis: arthroplasty
Many years ago, when modern prosthetic surgeries were not yet available, surgeons still operated on patients with coxarthrosis. At the same time, the purpose of the operation was not the treatment of osteoarthritis, but the complete immobilization of the joint. After recovering from this difficult surgical intervention, the patient has walked dragging the leg. Many movements were inaccessible to him, but at least the pain did not bother him. And then an artificial hip joint was invented, and it became possible for such patients to be helped to the maximum - with a new joint, they could walk painlessly and perform other movements, not different from humans. healthy. Thus, an 80-year-old patient, after undergoing arthroplasty of both hip joints, then came to the doctor with the question "Can I ski? ".
Today, surgeries for coxarthrosis are a definite product. Such treatment of osteoarthritis of the thigh joint is available to many people, including the elderly, unless, of course, there are no contraindications to life, such as severe diseases of the heart, lungs and other organs. What is the essence of the operation? We have an node that absolutely does not work, its cartilaginous layer is consumed, everything is overfilled and does not move.
How is osteoarthritis surgery performed?
Next, you need to understand how the femur is arranged: it has a head that goes into the joints and a trochanter, to which are attached many muscles that move the leg. It is the spit we feel through the skin. So during the operation the bone head is removed and the trochanter is left. Cartilage remnants are also removed from the cavity in the pelvic bone. An artificial ankle head is placed in its place. The head "sits" on a metal rod, which is attached to the femur. The incision is made in the inguinal region, its length is only 7-8 cm.
The first day after the operation the patient gets up, the third day he is forced to walk. And within one to two months, these patients completely restore the range of motion in the joints. Of course, after such a treatment of osteoarthritis, a certain motor regime is needed, which contributes to recovery. But this is the doctor's concern - to give competent advice, to learn how to use this new word of technology in his body.
Dentures are made of lightweight and durable materials, which makes them durable. There are different prostheses. The doctor selects the optimal one based on the person's age, his further "claims" for movement and other factors. And in our country, many of these operations are done completely free of charge. You will have to wait in line for a while, but half a year is not a dozen years! And endoprosthetics will be done. Today, thanks to advances in medicine, with coxarthrosis, you can get rid of pain and lead an active lifestyle. The main thing is to go to the doctor on time, because the more advanced the arthrosis of the thigh joint, the more difficult it is to treat the patient, even with the help of modern technologies.