What causes synovitis in children?

Synovitis in children is mainly caused by cartilage degeneration and bone hyperplasia, and may also be caused by knee sprain. Therefore, it is best to understand the cause of synovitis in children in order to treat it. For a common disease like synovitis in children, once the synovium is rich in blood vessels and the synovium is infected, medical attention should be sought promptly, otherwise it will affect the blood circulation of the synovium.

1. In young and middle-aged people, it is mostly caused by acute trauma and chronic injury. Acute trauma includes: knee sprain, meniscus injury, collateral ligament or cruciate ligament injury, joint effusion or sometimes blood accumulation, manifested as acute traumatic synovitis of the knee.

2. Synovitis is common in the elderly, mainly due to mechanical and biochemical stimulation caused by cartilage degeneration and bone hyperplasia, which leads to synovial edema, exudation and effusion.

3. Sometimes it may be caused by simple synovial injury of the knee joint or long-term chronic knee strain, which can cause gradual swelling and dysfunction of the knee joint, and then form chronic knee synovitis.

4. Infection, among which synovial tuberculosis infection is the most common. Generally speaking, the synovium is rich in blood vessels, has good blood circulation, and has strong resistance to bacteria. However, when infected with tuberculosis bacteria, the disease progresses slowly and its symptoms vary from time to time.

Synovitis is a disease characterized by abnormalities and morphological changes in the synovial tissue within the joint caused by various reasons, which leads to excessive production of synovial fluid and absorption disorders, and produces clinical manifestations such as repeated joint swelling and pain, and muscle atrophy. Hip synovitis is also called transient synovitis of the hip. Children under 3-10 years old are prone to hip synovitis, among which males are more common, and most children develop the disease suddenly. The peak age of onset is 3 to 6 years old, with more cases on the right side than on the left side, and bilateral hip joint disease accounts for 5%.

The cause of the disease may be related to viral infection, trauma, bacterial infection and allergic reaction (allergic reaction). The onset may be acute or slow. Children describe pain in the front or side of the thigh and knee joints. Physical examination may reveal a pain-avoiding gait, tenderness in the front of the hip joint, limited range of motion and discomfort.

It is recommended to rest for a period of time (7 to 10 days) after the symptoms disappear. Since children are active and have difficulty staying in bed, we should try our best to do so. Antibiotics can be taken in small amounts, but the use of corticosteroids is not recommended. Children diagnosed with transient hip synovitis should see a doctor for follow-up 2 weeks after the onset of the disease and undergo a clinical evaluation. If necessary, clinical examinations should be repeated 2 months and 6 months after the first onset of the disease.