subject: How To Protect Oneself Against Osteoarthritis [print this page] The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis which has affected 27 million Americans living with it today, Medical expert says. The ailment may lead to surgical procedure such as DePuy Hip, which has been the subject of product recall that costs Johnson & Johnson some $276 million during the first quarter of 2012.
Recent study says that the ailment is no longer thought upon as a magnitude of aging, as researchers now have a couple of factors to evaluate when looking for its probable causes such as musculoskeletal defects, genetic defects, obesity, or injury and overuse.
The disease usually affects cartilage, the slippery tissue that protects the ends of the bone which a healthy cartilage may permit bones to glide one another. It may also help in the absorption of the shock movement. People stricken with osteoarthritis usually experience pain in their joints and has a hard time with their mobility compared to other forms of arthritis wherein osteoarthritis only affects the joints not the internal organs.
There are other ways to prevent this ailment from developing such as maintaining a person's ideal body weight. The more a person weigh, the more stress the person is putting on their joints, especially on their hips, knees, back and feet. There is also a need to frequently move the body such as undergoing exercise which may protect the joints by firming up the muscles around them. Resilient muscles keep a person's joints from rubbing against one another, wearing down cartilage. It is also advisable to stand up straight because having good posture protects the joints in the person's neck, back, hips and knees.
Moreover, use the big joints when a person you're lifting something heavy because the use of largest and strongest joints and muscles may be a good step to avoid injury and strain on the smaller joints. There is also a need to pace yourselves at different periods of hefty activity with periods of rest. Monotonous stress on joints for long periods of time can hasten the wear and tear that causes osteoarthritis.
Lastly, you should always listen to your body and never ignore any pain.
Those who are at risk of developing osteoarthritis are usually the ageing people. However, those younger people who tend to develop such disorder may face the following risk factors:
Being overweight
Getting older
Joint injury
Joints that are not properly formed
A genetic defect in joint cartilage
Stresses on the joints from certain jobs and playing sports.
The usual affected areas when experiencing the ailment are in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. The indication are stiffness in a joint after getting out of bed or sitting for a long time, swelling or tenderness in one or more joints, a crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone.
No single test can diagnose osteoarthritis. Most doctors use several methods to diagnose the disease and rule out other problems such as medical history, physical exam and X-rays.
It is highly recommendable for patients to undergo change in lifestyle in order to prevent osteoarthritis from developing. When the pain becomes severe, patients may undergo artificial hip implantation surgery, which by now is subject of the DePuy hip recall.
