Mr. Sandip Ghosh & Mr. Kushal Mitra are friends for last 25 years and both are around 60 years of age. Mr. Sandip is quite fit and mobile whereas Mr. Kushal is overweight and mostly senile. Mr. Ghosh has been coaxing Mr. Mitra for some time now to start his morning walk. He keeps on telling him that his bones are getting rusted and so it’s the high time to be mobile.
Mr. Mitra keeps on avoiding his advice citing pain and tenderness in the knee joints. Last week around 5 am in the morning Mr. Ghosh came knocking Mr. Mitra’s door determined to take him along for the morning walk. Mr. Mitra at this gesture of his friend gave in to his idea and decided to go for the walk. But barely had they walked few meters from his house Mr. Mitra started having unbearable pain in the knees and gave up on the idea of walking.
Understanding the severity of his problem Mr. Ghosh on the same day booked an appointment for his dear friend at Desun hospital. He also accompanied him for the consultation. Upon consultation and subsequent X-ray and other relevant tests the Doctor declared that Mr. Mitra is having Osteoarthritis. But Mr. Ghosh was having a hard time to believe that how come his friend who is of the same age as him can have such a disease of the bones when he himself can still do three rounds of the jogger’s park!
The doctor then explained what caused such pain and osteoarthritis of Mr. Mitra while Mr. Ghosh is living with happy knees.
Weight: Being overweight puts additional pressure on hips and knees. Many years of carrying extra pounds can cause the cartilage that cushions joints to break down faster. Studies suggest that excess fat tissue produces inflammatory chemicals (cytokines) that can damage the joints.
Injury and overuse: Repetitive movements or injuries to joints (such as a fracture, surgery or ligament tears) can lead to osteoarthritis
Genes: Various genetic traits can make a person more likely to develop OA.
Others: Several other factors may contribute to osteoarthritis. These factors include bone and joint disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, certain metabolic disorders such as hemochromatosis, which causes the body to absorb too much iron, or acromegaly, which causes the body to make too much growth hormone.
In Mr. Mitra’s case it was the Weight that triggered his condition.
Currently, the process underlying osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but symptoms can usually be effectively managed with lifestyle changes, physical and other therapies, medications, and surgery. Exercising and achieving a healthy weight are generally the most important ways to treat osteoarthritis.
Realigning bones: If osteoarthritis has damaged one side of your knee more than the other, an osteotomy might be helpful. In a knee osteotomy, a surgeon cuts across the bone either above or below the knee, and then removes or adds a wedge of bone. This shifts your body weight away from the worn-out part of the knee.
Joint replacement: In joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty), the surgeon removes damaged joint surfaces and replaces them with plastic and metal parts. Surgical risks include infections and blood clots. Artificial joints can wear out or come loose and may need to eventually be replaced.
Manage occupational risks
Jobs that involve a lot of repetitive motion can be hard for joints. Please take suggestion to reduce OA risk which involves a lot of:
Kneeling
Lifting
Twisting
Walking
Low-impact exercise can improve joint health. Look for activities that include strength training and stretching in addition to aerobic exercise. Regular exercise can help slow down, or even prevent, OA
maintaining healthy joints
relieving stiffness
reducing pain and fatigue
increasing muscle and bone strength
Excess weight is one of the biggest risk factors of OA, as it puts extra stress on your joints, which can speed up the deterioration of joint cartilage. Overweight and obese individuals are at high risk of developing OA. Losing weight can help reduce pain and improve symptoms.
Exercise can help people develop healthy joints and muscles, but overuse of joints can increase the risk of developing OA.
Mr. Mitra is currently under strict weight management and medication only and finally Mr. Ghosh got his company Mr. Mitra for their daily morning walk.
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