膝痛
masuiknee pain
年齢を重ねると、ケガをしなくても、膝関節を構成している、大腿骨と脛骨の間の空間にあるクッション（軟骨）がすり減ることがあります。膝の空間にある軟骨が、すり減ってしまうと、炎症やみを引きを起こします。そうなると、膝は腫脹、熱感、炎症がでて辛い状態になります。膝が腫れるのは、膝関節の空間にある細胞が刺激を受けて、滑膜から関節液が過剰に分泌されて膝に貯留されるためです。これが「膝に水がたまった」状態となります。また、膝痛の急性期後、なんとなく良くなって、関節の炎症はおさまったはずなのに、痛みが時々でたりしてしまうことがあります。これは関節の中ではなく、膝関節周囲の、骨の周りの関節包や、腱、筋肉が関係しています。関節の炎症がおさまった後、関節を包む、関節包は以前よりも硬縮します。関節包は膝の動きに連動して伸び縮みしていますが、いったん硬縮すると、膝の動きが以前の通りにできなくなります。硬縮の結果、関節包が無理に引っ張られて、動きが悪くなったり、痛みがでたりします。の曲げ伸ばしがつらくなると痛みを避けるために膝をかばって行動するようになると、体の別の部分、腰がいたくなったりすることもあります。また、膝のクッションだけの問題ではなく、膝周りの筋肉、腱、靭帯の加齢変性もあります。膝は関節・腱・骨・靭帯に支えられています。加齢に伴い、関節周囲の筋肉が減少したり、腱や靭帯が硬くなり、柔軟性が低下すると、膝の痛みにつながります。今回の症例では、膝の上部の大腿四頭筋（大腿直近）の硬縮のため、膝の屈伸がしずらく、足の上げずらさ（階段など）を感じているうちに、膝の内側・内側側副靭帯の痛みもでてきてきました。鍼灸治療としては、痛みをやわらげ疼痛緩和をして、膝の周囲への、筋、腱、靭帯への血行促進、栄養を与え、筋肉や腱の柔軟性を取りもどして改善を高めていきます。栄養状態が行き届く事で、膝のコラーゲンの産生が促進され、関節軟骨に栄養成分（関節液）が届くように治療していきます。
As we age, even without injury, the cushion (cartilage) in the space between the femur and tibia that makes up the knee joint can wear away. When the cartilage in the knee space wears away, inflammation and soreness can occur. When this happens, the knee becomes swollen, hot, inflamed, and painful. The knee swells because the cells in the knee joint space are irritated and the synovial membrane secretes excessive joint fluid, which accumulates in the knee. This is the "water in the knee" condition. Also, after the acute phase of knee pain, the knee may feel somewhat better and the inflammation in the joint may have subsided, but pain may still occur from time to time. This is not related to the inside of the joint, but to the joint capsule, tendons, and muscles around the knee joint. After the inflammation in the joint has subsided, the joint capsule becomes stiffer than before. The joint capsule stretches and contracts in conjunction with knee movement, and once it stiffens, the knee is no longer able to move as before. As a result of the stiffness, the joint capsule is forced to pull, resulting in poor motion and pain. When bending and stretching of the knee becomes difficult, the knee may become stiff and painful, and the knee may become a pain in other parts of the body, such as the lower back, as the knee is protected to avoid the pain. In addition, the knee cushion is not the only problem; there is also age-related degeneration of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee. The knee is supported by joints, tendons, bones, and ligaments. As we age, the muscles around the joint decrease in size and the tendons and ligaments become stiff and less flexible, leading to knee pain. In the present case, due to stiffness of the quadriceps muscle (the thigh closest to the knee), the patient had difficulty in flexing the knee and lifting the leg (e.g., on stairs), and pain in the medial and medial collateral ligaments of the knee also began to occur. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment is used to alleviate the pain, promote blood circulation to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee, provide nutrition, and restore flexibility to the muscles and tendons to enhance improvement. Nutritional conditions will be improved so that collagen production in the knee will be accelerated and nutrients (joint fluid) will be delivered to the joint cartilage.
