‘Wear and Tear’ Arthritis Affects Millions

If your knees, hips or hands have pain or aching, stiffness, decreased flexibility or swelling, these may be symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease which affects more than 32.5 million U.S. adults. OA is the most common form of arthritis.

OA is known as “wear and tear” arthritis because the cartilage within a joint breaks down and the underlying bone changes. These changes may eventually lead to bone rubbing on bone, causing pain and reducing mobility.

Factors affecting arthritis

May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. During this annual observance, it is important to highlight risk factors affecting or leading to an osteoarthritis diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control …

• Repetitive stress on a joint can cause damage and increase the risk of OA in that joint.
• Women are more likely to develop OA than men, especially after age 50.
• Extra weight puts more stress on joints, particularly weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees.
• People who have family members with OA are more likely to develop OA.
• Some Asian populations have lower risk for OA.

When to seek a doctor’s care

Are daily activities like bending over to tie a shoe, rising from a chair or taking a short walk difficult because of chronic pain? Then, you should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.

A routine physical exam and some tests will help to determine if you have osteoarthritis. To better evaluate your condition, your doctor may ask questions about your symptoms, general health, family history and habits.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but treatments are available. Your doctor can prescribe a medication plan, recommend low-impact exercises and teach you how to manage your arthritis daily.

New guidelines support surgical option

For some individuals with osteoarthritis, medications and physical therapy are not enough to ease their daily chronic pain.

In March, the American College of Rheumatology and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons released new guidelines for the “optimal timing of elective hip or knee replacement.”

These two health organizations now recommend patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritis should not delay joint replacement surgery. Generally, these patients have not responded to nonsurgical therapies.

Susan M. Goodman, MD, co-principal investigator of the guidelines, said delaying surgery may “burden patients without clear benefit.”

“There is no evidence that delaying surgery for any of the additional nonoperative treatments studied, including physical therapy, gait aids, oral anti-inflammatories or injections, leads to improved outcomes,” said Dr. Goodman, who is the attending rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The guidelines issued are “conditional” or based on a case-by-case basis. Patients and doctors should “comprehensively discuss the unique risks and benefits of the procedure for the individual patient,” Dr. Goodman said.

A panel of rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons and patient representatives developed 13 recommendations. These recommendations also included guidelines for patients with high BMIs, diabetes and nicotine dependence.

Later this year, the full manuscript will be published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, Arthritis Care & Research and the Journal of Arthroplasty.

Don’t delay your care

If you have osteoarthritis and are experiencing chronic joint pain, don’t delay your care. Depending on your condition, treatment plans may include medication, physical therapy or even hip or knee replacement.

Your doctor may recommend joint replacement to reduce your pain and increase your range of motion at the joint. During surgery, your damaged bone and cartilage will be replaced with prosthetic components called implants.

Our physicians generally prefer to operate at surgery centers instead of hospitals. Patients are discharged the same day as the surgery to recover at home. They begin rehab with an in-home physical therapist or outpatient physical therapy. Patients pay less for a procedure than at a hospital.

Find a center near you and request an appointment. Improve your mobility and return to an active lifestyle.