Physical therapy and viscosupplementation in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Osteoartritis je kronična degenerativna reumatska bolest karakterizirana degeneracijom zglobne hrskavice koja uzrokuje bolnost i ograničenost pokreta. Na taj način otežava pacijentu aktivnosti svakodnevnog života. Za postavljanje ove dijagnoze najčešće se koristi RTG, na kojem se vide promjene zglobne hrskavice. Konzervativne metode u liječenju ove bolesti su fizikalna terapija i viskosuplementacija. Fizikalna terapija obuhvaća elektroterapiju, hidroterapiju, balneoterapiju, kineziterapiju, termoterapiju i samu edukaciju pacijenta. Viskosuplementacija je moderniji način borbe s posljedicama ovoga stanja. To je metoda injektiranja hijaluronske kiseline u zglobni prostor. Fizikalna terapija se pokazala kao bolji način liječenja osteoartritisa.Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative rheumatic disease characterized by a degeneration of articular cartilage that causes pain and limited movement. Thus, it makes every day activities of the patient more difficult. An X-ray, usually used to diagnose this disease, shows changes in the cartilage joint. Conservative treatment methods for this disease are physical therapy and viscosupplementation. Physical therapy includes electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, kinesitherapy, thermotherapy and education of the patient. Viscosupplementation is the modern way of dealing with the consequences of this condition. It is a method of injecting hyaluronic acid into the joint space. Physical therapy has proven to be a more successful method in treating osteoarthritis