Cartilage damage, knee arthrosis (gonarthrosis)

Knee joint arthrosis and premature joint wear in the knee.

Untreated cartilage damage results in premature joint wear and tear and arthrosis in the knee joint. Knee arthrosis defines the progressive wear and tear of the knee joint. Joint arthrosis cannot be cured in principle. Conservative therapies (medication and physiotherapy) reduce the joint pain. A medical assessment of cartilage damage and arthrosis is strongly recommended.

Knee arthritis? Accident-related or chronic knee complaints? Joint wear and tear?

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Cartilage damage, joint wear and knee arthrosis

The movable knee joint connects the thigh and the shin in an anatomically optimal way. The smooth cartilage tissue and sliding layers in the knee prevent the angular bones from rubbing against each other and allow hard impacts during walking to be elastically absorbed.

Even minor cartilage damage leads to a disruption of the complex balance in the knee joint. Accident-related cartilage damage occurs in younger patients where a piece of cartilage is broken out, e.g. in a skiing accident. Injuries to the cartilage are very painful, especially if the underlying bone is damaged.

Untreated cartilage damage results in premature joint wear and tear and arthrosis in the knee joint.

Degenerative cartilage damage mainly affects patients with a monotonous knee load or due to O- or X-leg malposition, gout or rheumatism or previous meniscus or cruciate ligament damage.

Causes and symptoms

Knee joint arthrosis (gonarthrosis) is a wear and tear disease that can cause severe pain. Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of the cartilage layer of the knee through pathological wear and tear, so that ultimately bone rubs against bone because there is no cartilage left.

The cause of knee arthrosis is manifold. A common reason is incorrect loading due to bow legs or knock-knees. Chronic polyarthritis can also destroy the cartilage layer. Other reasons are old cruciate ligament or meniscus injuries or knee joint infections.

Arthrosis complaints of the knee usually begin insidiously, typically with so-called "starting pain", the "rusty knee joint" early in the morning.

Clarification and treatment

Arthrosis cannot be cured in principle.

Depending on the stage of arthrosis, conservative methods (remedial gymnastics), medication, joint cleansing, various methods of cartilage regeneration, cartilage transplantation and surgical treatment Arthrosis can avoid complete joint wear and tear and replacement of severely impaired knee joints.