By Richard Driessnack, MD
First of all, what exactly is arthritis? Simply put, it is a deterioration of the smooth lining or cushion of the joint, which is called hyaline cartilage, and which leads to increased stress felt in the bones, thus leading to pain in the joint. It is analogous to our car tires’ tread wearing thin, causing a more uncomfortable ride down the road. It can also cause stiffness, weakness, and loss of ability to do certain things like arising from a chair, putting on a sock or shoe, or even walking comfortably.
Hip and knee arthritis can be caused by multiple factors, some of which you have no control over, and some of which you have a lot of control over. Let’s start with the things we can’t control:
Genetics: We can’t choose our parents! We are born with the DNA granted us by our parents. We may inherit poor cartilage cells, shallow hip sockets, crooked knees, poor immune systems, or other factors which give us greater risk to get arthritis. We cannot change this. Some deformities recognized early can be treated with surgeries which can delay the need for joint replacement. The female gender is also predisposed to a higher risk of arthritis.
Trauma: Fractures of the pelvis, hips, or legs can affect joints, including their function and longevity. Even after perfect treatment of fractures using current techniques, arthritis can be a consequence. Sports injuries of the young knee involving meniscus or ligament tears can lead to arthritis later in life. Any injury involving major joint stress can have a detrimental effect on the health of the cartilage cells, leading to arthritis.
Infections: Bacterial infections in hips or knees can lead to stiffness and painful loss of cartilage in a short period of time. These infections can occur with or without a direct injury to the joint. Many cases of joint infection, especially in adults, are not diagnosed promptly, which can lead to worse outcomes.
Age: We cannot avoid getting older every year. Therefore, the older we get, the greater our chances of getting arthritis. No surprises there.
Occupation: Certain types of work involving repetitive bending or squatting can increase the risks of deterioration of the joint, especially the knee. To the extent we have to have that job, we cannot change our risk for getting arthritis.
Unknown: Frankly, some cases of arthritis simply don’t have a known cause. This is likely a matter of a lack of scientific knowledge at the present time.
“Well, that’s discouraging,” you say, but what can I do to decrease my chances of getting arthritis of the hip or knee? As it turns out, plenty, but you need to start early in life:
Eat healthy: Avoid over-eating. Obesity is the single most preventable cause of knee arthritis there is. This is especially true for women, whose cartilage seems to be less tolerant to excess weight than male cartilage, and deteriorates predictably once its maximum capacity for stress is exceeded.
Exercise: Regular exercise to promote muscle strengthening and fluid motion of the joints is very protective of deterioration of cartilage tissue. Walking, jogging, biking, swimming, weight-training, and the numerous forms of exercise equipment available today can be excellent preventatives for joint arthritis. It’s important to avoid repetitive contact-sports activities, and to wear excellent shoes that properly support the feet when walking, running, or working. Interestingly, a recent analysis of marathon runners indicated that the incidence of arthritis did not correlate with running volume or intensity, but with female gender, family history, surgical history, age, and body mass index.
Bones: I love bones! It’s what I do, and keeping your bones strong helps reduce arthritis pain and disability. Ensure you are taking adequate Calcium and Vitamin D in your diet, and get checked for osteoporosis if you are a post-menopausal female, and treat it if you have it.
While this brief review is far from complete, it should give you a pretty good idea that many case of arthritis can be prevented by taking care of yourself properly. Check out these sources for additional useful information:
- www.arthritis.org
- www.orthoinfo.org
For more information, contact OSF Orthopedics at 309-676-5546 or on the web at www.PeoriaJointReplacement.com. They have two locations: OSF Orthopedics — Downtown Peoria, 303 North William Kumpf Boulevard, Peoria; and OSF Orthopedics — North Peoria, 7800 N. Sommer St., Peoria.