A report from the Arthritis Foundation suggests that more than 60 million adults have some form of arthritis. So, the likelihood of you or someone you love being affected by this condition is high.
Osteoarthritis is a common type of arthritis – and one of the reasons patients seek support from their primary care physician. Often, medical generalists don’t have the specialized knowledge for this condition, which is why patients are referred to orthopedic doctors.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis causes degeneration to happen to the joint cartilage, which can also affect the bone underneath. This protective cartilage is located at the end of the bones and facilitates frictionless joint movement. As the cartilage wears down, the bones can start to cause pain because the bones are rubbing together.
As this degeneration occurs, it results in stiffness and pain in the joints. The knees, hips, spine and hands are the joints that are often affected by osteoarthritis.
The breakdown of the cartilage affects the whole joint. Eventually, cartilage changes lead to changes in the bone and muscle attachments.
This condition usually affects middle-aged adults and continues through the later years of life.
Osteoarthritis Symptoms
In the beginning, the symptoms start out slow. For example, patients might just feel like they are experiencing the aches and pains of “getting older.” However, symptoms of osteoarthritis tend to worsen with time, especially when the condition is left untreated.
Here is an overview of common symptoms patients experience when they have osteoarthritis:
- Joint Pain: The landmark symptom of osteoarthritis is a pain in the joints. This pain is typically worse when the joint is moving or immediately after movement.
- Tenderness: Touch the affected joints, and you will feel tenderness when applying light or medium pressure. Intense pressure can be even more painful.
- Swelling: Local inflammation can cause the joint to swell due to the soft tissue damage that is occurring.
- Rubbing Sensation: Since the joints are losing the cushioning as the cartilage breaks down, it might result in a rubbing or grating sensation when you are moving that joint.
- Popping Joints: Do you hear or feel anything when the joint is in motion? You might notice a crackling or popping sensation.
- Stiffness: If you are inactive, such as when you wake up in the morning, it results in stiffness and discomfort.
- Loss of Flexibility: As the stiffness worsens, it results in a loss of flexibility. You might notice that you are losing range of motion in the joint.
- Bone Spurs: The affected joint can start to develop bone spurs, which are hard lumps: small, extra bits of bone.
Risk Factors: Causes of Osteoarthritis
Since osteoarthritis develops with age, it is sometimes referred to as the “wear and tear” disease. Common risk factors that increase the likelihood of osteoarthritis include:
- Gender: Women have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis than men.
- Weight: People who are obese experience more effects from osteoarthritis because of the added stress the extra weight is putting on the joints.
- Injuries: Previous injuries in the joints seem to increase the risk of osteoarthritis, even if the injuries happened years ago.
- Birth Defects: Some patients are born with defective cartilage or malformed joints, which can contribute to the degeneration of joint cartilage.
- Family History: Osteoarthritis tends to run in families. So, if you have family members with this condition, there is a higher risk that you will be diagnosed as well.
- Repetitive Motion: When the joint is moving the same way over and over again, it causes repetitive stress on the joint and can lead to osteoarthritis.
Why an Orthopedic Doctor for Osteoarthritis?
Unfortunately, osteoarthritis can’t be cured. Once the joints are damaged, there isn’t a way to reverse the damage. But an orthopedic doctor can help with symptom management. A proactive treatment approach might slow the progress and help you avoid more severe symptoms in the future.
An orthopedic doctor takes a proactive approach: partnering with patients to provide immediate relief while also creating a plan for the optimal long-term outcome.
Whether you are in pain because of osteoarthritis or don’t have a diagnosis for your pain, scheduling a consultation with an orthopedic specialist is a great way to find the answers.
Orthopedic doctors have specialty training to treat a variety of conditions affecting the joints and bones. When the condition hinders movement and activities, you can be sure that an orthopedic specialist is the right person to see.
Additionally, many orthopedic doctors specialize in a specific part of the body. For example, you can schedule a consultation with a knee specialist here at OrthoTexas if your osteoarthritis is mainly affecting your knees.
Treatment Options: Relief for Osteoarthritis
Even though there are no known treatments to reverse the damage from osteoarthritis, there are things that can be done to reduce your pain and help you enjoy a full and thriving lifestyle.
The goal of osteoarthritis treatment is to reduce your pain, slow the progression of the disease and improve overall function.
Often, the best approach is to work with an orthopedic specialist as well as other related providers. For example, your orthopedic doctor will likely refer you to a physical therapist as well.
Osteoarthritis treatments might include:
- Anti-Inflammatory Medications: Taking anti-inflammatory medications can decrease the swelling and pain in the joint. This short-term approach helps to manage the symptoms so other treatments can be more effective.
- Joint Injections: Corticosteroid injections into the joint help to reduce the pain and symptoms. These injections can provide a few months of relief. But patients should use caution about repeat injections since they can contribute to the additional breakdown of joint cartilage.
- Physical Therapy: A holistic approach is one of the best ways to support joint health. Physical therapy strengthens the muscles around the joint. Improving muscle strength minimizes the impact within the joint when you are moving.
- Surgery: In severe cases of osteoarthritis, surgery might be recommended. Our team always starts with a minimally invasive treatment approach whenever possible – so surgery is usually the last option when other treatments aren’t working.
Exercising With Arthritis
The list of benefits that you can receive from making sure that you exercise on a regular basis is enormous. This has been discussed in a previous article and remains vitally important for anyone who is physically capable of maintaining a workout regimen. This is also true for anyone who is experiencing any form of arthritis, which is an inflammation and stiffness of the joints.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 54.4 million adults in the U.S. are affected by arthritis, and there are over 100 different types of arthritis and associated diseases. However, the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia.
If you or someone that you know is contending with some form of arthritis, it will be beneficial to understand that there is no need to avoid physical activity. Even if you are currently experiencing a certain degree of discomfort or stiffness in any of your joints, the recommendation for exercise is not meant to suggest that you should attempt to become an elite-level athlete. Instead, it involves the benefits that you will receive from remaining active.
The Advantages Of Exercising With Arthritis
Regular exercise will improve your health, and will not create any further issues with your joints – providing that you choose movements that are most efficient for your specific situation.
First, it is always recommended that you discuss any potential workout regimen with a doctor who is knowledgeable about your background, your current state of health and the type of movements that would be most sensible for you on a regular basis. Then you can follow the exercise plan that has been created in coordination with your physician and possibly a physical therapist (if necessary). That will enable you to receive the benefits of a regular program without posing a problem for your joints.
The benefits of exercising with arthritis include:
- Improving the strength of your muscles
- Sustaining the strength of your bones
- Boosting your energy level
- Controlling your weight
- Improving your balance
- Enhancing your ability to sleep
- Increasing your self-esteem
- Reducing the risk of depression
- Raising your quality of life
It is actually a lack of exercise that will increase the risk of further problems with your health and your joints. Not only will you lose strength in your muscles and the nearby tissue by failing to keep them active through physical movement, but the lack of activity will also place more pressure on your joints.
The CDC has recommended a group of tips concerning the process of exercising with arthritis, including a reminder to start slowly and to progress through an increase in your activities slowly. It will be helpful to maintain this mindset when you are just beginning a new exercise regimen because it is important that you begin gradually. It will also be important to remain deliberate in your activities rather than attempting to exercise in ways that become overly strenuous.
It is also important to alter your exercises if you are contending with discomfort on a particular day. The routine that you have chosen should also be accommodating to your joints, which is far more likely if you have consulted with a physician who can help you construct the most effective regimen.
Exercises For Arthritis
Since every individual who is experiencing some form of arthritis will have his or her own specific situation, the collection of potential ways in which you can exercise with arthritis will be discussed in general terms.
Once you have developed an exercise strategy with the assistance of your doctor and (possibly) a physical therapist, you can proceed with the most logical set of physical activities or workouts that make sense for you.
These could include movements that involve range of motion, which might involve exercises such as rolling your shoulders backward and forward or raising your arms over your head. This would be designed to reduce any stiffness that you might be feeling while also expanding the range with which you can make your movements. In most cases, these exercises can be done on a daily basis.
Some exercises might be designed to boost your strength. Weight training is one possibility that would build your muscles, and any type of strengthening regimen can be continued without creating an issue for your joints if you make sure that it is not done on a daily basis. Usually, a program that you follow either two or three days each week will remain effective.
You could also be able to exercise by walking, swimming or biking. Or, you might also be capable of maintaining regular cardiovascular-related workouts on equipment such as an elliptical, treadmill or stair stepper.
Regardless of the specific activities that you become involved with, it is important that you minimize the impact on your joints. As a reminder, it is also recommended that you move slowly in order to minimize the chances of aggravating your joints.
Do You Need Treatment for Osteoarthritis?
Some people live with mild or moderate osteoarthritis symptoms for years, with a slow development of the symptoms over time. Other people experience a faster onset of osteoarthritis symptoms and need treatment right away.
If your pain and stiffness are affecting your quality of life, then it is time to talk to a joint specialist. Keep in mind that untreated arthritis can cause permanent damage to the joints, making it difficult to complete daily activities such as climbing stairs, doing the dishes or walking around the house.
Schedule a Consultation with an Orthopedic Doctor
Do you have an osteoarthritis diagnosis? You’re not alone. Our team of specialists is here to offer the ongoing support that you need to manage this condition and the associated symptoms.
If you are looking for relief from osteoarthritis or any other injury affecting the musculoskeletal system, then it’s time to schedule a consultation with an orthopedic doctor. Contact us at OrthoTexas at your convenience.
You can book an appointment through our online request.