By Dr. John A. Dettmer, DC
Known as the “wear and tear” arthritis, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common problem for many people as they reach middle age. It is the leading cause of disability in the United States today. With an aging baby boomer population, increased life expectancy and the increase in obesity serving as contributing factors -- osteoarthritis is expected to become even more prevalent and will continue to have far-reaching health and socio-economic effects.
This condition develops slowly and the pain it causes worsens over time. When the cartilage wears away it becomes frayed and rough making moving the bone along the exposed section painful. If the cartilage wears away completely, it can result in bone rubbing on bone. And, as the cartilage continues to wear away, damaged bones may start to bow inward or outward forming spurs and causing even more pain.
Here are a few facts about osteoarthritis:
- Twenty-seven million Americans have it.
- One in two people will develop this condition during their lifetime.
- The lifetime risk for developing knee osteoarthritis severe enough to cause symptoms is 45%.
- The risk for knee osteoarthritis rises to 57% among people who had previous knee injuries.
- Three in five people who are obese are at risk for developing knee osteoarthritis during their lifetime.
- Each year, 632,000 joint replacements are performed due to this disease.
- There were about 11.1 million physician and outpatient visits for this condition last year.
- About 25% of people with knee osteoarthritis have pain when they walk and have trouble performing major activities of daily living (walking, climbing, kneeling, etc.).
Many factors increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis. As a person ages the ability of cartilage to heal itself decreases. While this disease generally affects people middle-aged and older, it can be caused by things such as previous injuries from things like sports or accidents. And, osteoarthritis is often linked to heredity.
Some of the issues that may cause distress in your knees include overuse, weight and other illnesses.
Overuse. People in occupations that involve repeated kneeling or squatting or heavy lifting and walking are vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries in the knee.
Weight. The more you weigh the more stress you put on your knee joints.
Other illnesses. If you have had other problems with your knees, such as gout, knee infections or Lyme disease, your risk increases.
Osteoarthritis is more prevalent with increasing age, although the average age of onset is about 45 years. Genetic factors and female gender are also predisposing factors.
Jobs that involve repetitious physical activity, overworking of the joints and the fatiguing of muscles that protect joints tend to increase the risk of osteoarthritis in those joints.
Symptoms include pain and stiffness which tend to be worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Painful joints, that usually worsen with exercise or repetitive use
- Swelling of the affected joint
- Creaking, and pain and stiffness that restrict movement
- Weakened muscles surrounding the affected joint
- Joint deformity
There is treatment other than surgery available!
You may be able to prolong and potentially avoid knee replacement surgery with Viscosumpplementation Therapy. This is a procedure involving the injection of gel-like substances into a joint to supplement the viscous properties of synovial fluid. This therapy has been shown to be 88% successful in alleviating the pain associated with osteoarthritis and is covered by most major medical insurance providers and Medicare.
At SpinalCare Physical Medicine, we have elected to use a mixture of sodium hyaluronate that is found naturally and extracted from rooster combs. We use needle-guided medical equipment technology. This is very important because it allows our medical staff to look inside your joints in real time while administering any of our minimally invasive injection procedures. This helps ensure the injected material is introduced to the exact point intended.
You may have osteoarthritis if you answer YES to any of the following questions:
- Do you wake up with stiff knees?
- Do your knees hurt when going up or down stairs?
- Do you frequently take medication for knee pain?
- Do activities you enjoy cause pain around the knees?
- Have you been told you need knee replacement surgery?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above you need to visit our office. You don’t have to suffer any longer. Call SpinalCare Physical Medicine at 317-272-4100 and ask for a complimentary consultation.