Each of our joints has two surfaces that fit together like the keys of a lock. All protrusions on one articular surface correspond to depressions on the other articular surface. The precise coincidence of such surfaces has a medical name - congruence. Viewed from above, the ends of the bones that make up the joint are covered with cartilage for better sliding. Joint bags, ligaments and muscles protect the joints. Arthropathy is one of the most common diseases of the joints, cartilage and bone surfaces. At the same time, a special kind of joint fluid is rarely produced that ensures smooth movement and the ends of the bones come together and start to rub against each other, causing pain and discomfort to the owner. Meanwhile, with arthropathy, there is officially no inflammation in the joint, which distinguishes it from arthritis.
Why Hip Arthropathy Happens: Age
A catastrophe like arthropathy can happen to any joint in our body. Failure is unilateral and bilateral. Age, overweight, injuries, flat feet, scoliosis, arthritis, joint displacement, overloading, but at the same time, a sedentary lifestyle can also contribute to this disease. The joints can move! At the same time, the upright posture is prone to human hip joint disease. In animals, the disease does not occur, and their joint load is more evenly distributed.
The range of motion of the hip joint is second only to that of the shoulder joint. In fact, normally, we can move our legs back and forth, outward and inward, and even rotational movements. This joint carries very high loads. It consists of a socket on the femoral head and pelvic bone. Osteoarthritis of this joint is medically called hip arthropathy. A large number of people suffer from this disease. Women get sick more often, and of course the peak of illness occurs after age 40. In 70% of cases, this is due to the natural wear and tear of the joints, impaired blood supply and metabolism.
Signs of joint damage: pain when walking and resting
The first symptom of hip arthropathy is pain in the groin when climbing stairs. You may not feel pain when going down stairs. Later, the pain may start to spread to the knee. Some of the diverse movements in the joint will be limited. For example, lifting the leg, i. e. bending it at the hip, can be painful, but pulling the leg back is not. Turning the leg inwards hurts, as does moving the leg to the side, but bearable. Kneeling is usually not possible because this movement also involves the hip joint. Movement is limited not only because of pain, but also because of changes in the joint itself.
Since the hip is involved in walking, running, and many other sports, its failure creates social limitations for the patient. And with third-degree arthropathy, the pain is already disturbing, not only during exercise, but also at rest, especially when they don't put you to sleep at night. Turning over in bed is difficult. Sometimes the pain is so intense that it forces the patient to constantly take painkillers, which themselves are not always harmless. Therefore, regular use of NSAIDs can lead to the formation or worsening of gastric ulcers.
Treatment of Arthropathy: Arthroplasty
Many years ago, when modern prosthetic surgery was not yet widespread, surgeons were still operating on hip patients. At the same time, the purpose of surgery is not to treat arthropathy, but to completely immobilize the joint. After recovering from this difficult surgical intervention, the patient was shuffling. He couldn't do many movements, but at least he wasn't tortured by pain. An artificial hip joint was then invented to help these patients to the greatest possible extent - with a new joint, they could walk and perform other movements painlessly, no different from healthy people. So an 80-year-old patient came to the doctor with the question "Can I go skiing? " after having double hip replacement.
Today, hip surgery is an established mode of production. The treatment of this hip arthropathy is suitable for many people, including the very elderly, unless, of course, there are no contraindications to life, such as serious diseases of the heart, lungs and other organs. What is the nature of the operation? We have a joint that is absolutely inoperable, its layers of cartilage are worn away, everything is overgrown and motionless.
How is osteoarthritis surgery performed?
Next, you need to understand how the femur is arranged: it has a head that goes into the joint and a trochanter, to which many of the muscles that move the leg attach. This is the skewer we feel through our skin. Therefore, during the procedure, the head of the bone is removed and the trochanter is left behind. The remnants of cartilage are also removed from the cavity of the pelvic bone. The artificial head of the joint is placed in its place. The head "sits" on a metal rod that is attached to the femur. The incision is in the groin area and is only 7-8 cm in length.
On the first day after the operation, the patient was helped up, and on the third day they were forced to walk. And within one to two months, these patients fully regained their joint range of motion. Of course, after such arthropathy treatment, a certain exercise regimen is required, which aids in recovery. But that's a doctor's concern - giving competent advice on how to use this new technology in one's own body.
Dentures are made of lightweight and durable materials that make them durable. There are different prosthetics. The doctor will choose the best one based on the person's age, his further "requirements" for exercise and other factors. And in our country, many of these surgeries are completely free. You have to wait in line for a while, but half a year is not a dozen years! And an endoprosthesis will be performed. Today, thanks to advances in medicine, with hip disease, you can get rid of pain and lead an active lifestyle. The most important thing is to seek medical attention, because the more advanced the hip is, the more difficult it is to treat the patient, even with modern technology.