Managing your arthritis
Franco Munoz
19 Jan 2008
Everybody will get arthritis. It is part of the aging process. But there are several things you can do:
1. Manage your weight. Joint degeneration would be faster if you overload your joints.2. Avoid stairs and deep squats. Every time you climb a step, you are applying 3-5 times your body weight on that knee joint.
3. Never jog. It is better to do fast walking in the park or malls.
4. Braces. A deloading brace may offer some relief. It places the load on your quadriceps and hamstring muscles (your thigh) thereby relieving the load partially off your knee. Over the counter neoprene braces offers no help. Get the real thing. You get what you pay for. Ask the local orthopedic surgeon for more info.
5. Physical therapy. Your physical therapist can show you several exercises for strength and flexibility. He can also perform joint mobilization/manipulation. He will communicate with your orthopedic surgeon regarding his findings. Your husband’s pain may not be coming from his knee and an input from another perspective is valuable. Thermal and electrical agents may offer some relief.
6. Synvisc injection. This is artificial synovial fluid injected by your orthopedic surgeon. My patients’ frequent complaint is that the pain relief only lasted 2-3 weeks. It is an expensive treatment for something that will only offer you 2-3 weeks of pain relief.
7. Medicines. Be cautious. Abuse of NSAIDS like Ibuprofen can get you gastrointestinal bleeding. Do not drink alcoholic beverages if you take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) as both of these are metabolized in the liver which can lead to liver failure. Ask your orthopedic surgeon if it would be advisable to take pain-relieving medicines only when you are is severe pain. Try to exercise and the morning stiffness should melt away slowly.
8. Total Knee Replacement. Now if you are in severe pain and you have the money, TKR is the standard management for elderly patients who have debilitating pain. You will need 2-3 months of physical therapy to facilitate your post-operative recovery.
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