Knee effusion: The secret of knee effusion

Author: Zhang Yulu, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Reviewer: Zhu Jiaojiao, deputy chief nurse, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Wang LiChief Physician of Jiangxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The knee joint is one of the more important joints in the human body, and we basically cannot do without it in our daily activities. However, the knee joint is relatively fragile and easily injured. With age, problems such as arthritis and joint effusion may also occur. Many middle-aged and elderly people, and even young people, go to the hospital for examination when they have knee pain and swelling, and the report always indicates "knee joint effusion." Then, many people will be curious: "What kind of disease is knee joint effusion? How to treat it?"

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1.What is knee effusion?

First of all, everyone needs to clearly understand that knee joint effusion is a clinical symptom and sign, not a disease.

The knee joint is the largest and most complex joint in the human body, consisting of the lower end of the femur, the upper end of the tibia, and the patella. There is a layer of synovium inside the joint. Under normal circumstances, the synovium will secrete an appropriate amount of synovial fluid to lubricate the joint, and the synovium will also absorb the synovial fluid. Under normal circumstances, the secretion and absorption of synovial fluid remain in a dynamic balance. However, in some cases, such as joint injury or infection, the synovium may secrete too much fluid, but the absorption is reduced, resulting in knee joint effusion.

In fact, it is like there is a "small reservoir" in your knee joint. Under normal circumstances, there will be some "water" in the "small reservoir", that is, synovial fluid, which plays a role in lubricating and protecting the joint. However, when this "small reservoir" is "flooded" due to some reasons (such as sports injuries, arthritis, synovitis, etc.), it will cause knee joint effusion.

2.What are the symptoms of knee joint effusion?

(1) Joint swelling: The most obvious manifestation of knee joint effusion is joint swelling, especially when the knee is flexed. Due to the increased pressure within the joint, the swelling may be more obvious.

(2) Joint pain: Some patients may experience knee pain, but pain is not a common symptom of all patients with knee effusion. Pain may occur during activity or at rest, and may worsen after activity, or cause joint stiffness and pain when getting up in the morning.

(3) Limited joint movement: Knee joint effusion may lead to limited range of joint movement, such as inability to fully flex the knee or squat, or discomfort when walking.

(4) Other associated symptoms: The causes of knee joint effusion are different, and the manifestations are also different. For example, for knee joint effusion caused by infection, the patient may also have systemic symptoms such as fever, local redness and swelling.

3. How to deal with knee joint effusion?

When knee joint effusion occurs, general treatment can be performed first. If the symptoms do not improve, you should seek professional medical help in time to identify the cause and carry out targeted medication, physical and puncture treatments.

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Among them, general treatment mainly includes the following contents.

(1) Rest: When knee joint effusion occurs, the first measure is to rest to avoid further damage to the joint.

(2) Ice compress: If the knee joint effusion is caused by sports or trauma, ice compress can be used to reduce swelling and pain within 24 to 48 hours after the injury.

(3) Compression bandage and appropriate elevation: Using an elastic bandage to apply appropriate compression to the knee joint and elevating the injured leg above the heart when resting can help reduce swelling.

(4) Drug treatment: Based on the doctor's advice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to reduce inflammation and pain. (5) Physical therapy: After the acute phase, physical therapy can be received based on the doctor's advice to relieve pain.

(6) Puncture and fluid extraction: If there is a large amount of fluid in the knee joint, the doctor may recommend puncture and fluid extraction to relieve symptoms.

4. Daily knee joint care tips

(1) Exercise moderately and avoid excessive load on the knee joint, such as long-term running, jumping or weight training.

(2) Warm up before exercise and stretch appropriately after exercise to reduce the risk of injury.

(3) Maintain good posture and correct exercise techniques to avoid joint injuries caused by bad posture.

(4) Control your weight and reduce pressure on your knee joints.

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In short, knee joint effusion is a health problem that cannot be ignored. It not only affects the quality of life, but may also indicate more serious joint diseases. If you have symptoms of knee joint effusion, you must seek medical attention in time and receive scientific treatment according to the doctor's advice. This can effectively control knee joint effusion and protect joint health.