Oct. 12 through 20 is Bone and Joint Action Week, a week focused on disorders including arthritis, back pain, trauma, pediatric conditions, and osteoporosis. The goal is to raise awareness worldwide about prevention, disease management, and treatment.
Dr. Richard T. Steffen, an orthopedic surgeon at Methodist Hospital Texsan, breaks down one of the disorders, arthritis, and how it can be treated and prevented.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a disease that attacks the cartilage of a joint. The cartilage of a joint becomes worn away and eventually can cause a condition called bone on bone, Steffen said. Age is the most common reason for arthritis, following trauma, and other rheumatological diseases.
How can this be prevented and managed?
Living a healthier lifestyle, activity modification, and regular exercise can help with prevention. Weight and diet are also factors. Certain nutrients, supplements, and vitamins can help prevent arthritis as well.
Early management, like anti-inflammatory medication, injections (such as steroids or hyaluronic acid), physical therapy, braces, and walking aids, have all been known to be effective, Steffen said.
How can this be treated once advanced?
There is an operative option, knee arthroscopy, which can be effective. As arthritis progresses, a partial joint replacement and finally a total joint replacement can be used as treatment.
To find out more information, visit Methodist Healthcare’s website at sahealth.com.