Dr.Ashok Ghanshyam Dalal

Poor posture while sitting, standing, lying down or moving around is a major cause of back pain. Sitting and standing for long time put considerable pressure on the lower back, in fact, standing exerts up to five times more pressure than lying down, and sitting is even more strenuous.

Pain management begins at home. Of course, your doctor is the expert you need to go to to check the possible causes and treatment methods to alleviate pain. However, sometimes, the pain can be managed well as home as well. For example, it is possible to manage back strain at home with the help of simple remedies. Some of these remedies include the following:

1. Ice is the best way: Back pain that is associated with inflammation or an injury can be treated with ice. You can also try using ice and heat alternatively. Use an ice pack for 20 minutes, followed by heat therapy for 20 minutes. This helps in regaining movement.
2. Lying down is not the right thing: Lying on the bed is often thought to alleviate back pain due to strain. However, several studies indicate that people who are active and suffer from mild to moderate back pain levels actually end up experiencing less pain, compared with those who resort to bed rest. Unless your doctor advises you to stay in the bed for rest, it should not be practiced for more than three days.
3. Exercises ease the pain: Staying active is the best way to keep any pain at bay. This is especially true if your job is sedentary and you need to workout at least three days a week. If you think that you are not made for the gym, do not fret. Simple exercises can do wonders beyond imagination. You can try simple cardio exercises or even a brisk walk, to begin with. Swimming is another excellent way to exercise that keeps off back pain, helps you lose weight, and keep you stress-free.
4. Posture means a lot: While other remedies definitely soothe the pain, it is important to tackle the root cause of pain in the right way. A bad posture is one of the leading cause of pain due to back strain. Avoid straining the back unnecessarily by maintaining a correct posture. From leaning at a wrong angle over the sink to leaning over the desk at your work can cause back strain and pain. Keep off from the incorrect posture to ease the pressure off the back and neck.
5. Become more flexible: Tensioned muscles cause tightness and eventually, back pain. To tackle this and improve flexibility, try this simple technique. Sit on the edge of the bed and ensure that the body is equally spread over the edge. You need to keep one of the legs on the floor, and the other extended. Stretch and lean forward. Your back has to be in a neutral position. Back pain can be at the peak when you wake up. Try this exercises to ease the movement through improved flexibility.
6. Heels don’t let your pain heal: Heels can be a nice show-off but they are not recommended when you suffer from back pain. They can be a reason for back pain or they can also be the reason to increase or worsen the pain triggered due to various reasons. Shoes with heels of less than one inch are a nice choice. If heels are must for any reason, remove them as often as possible. For instance, remove your shoes and keep them under the desk when you are sitting.
7. Stay off from smoking: Smoking is associated with several health issues. It also increases the risk of osteoporosis. People who smoke are at a higher risk of developing back pain, as compared to people who do not smoke.
8. Use the weighing scale: Being overweight or obese puts a lot of strain and pressure on the back, thus causing pain. Keep a tab on your weight. The ways to put off back pain are simple and if you are determined, you can see improvement faster.

Knee replacement is a surgery wherein an artificial joint is used to replace a diseased, damaged or worn out knee. This surgery is common among people who fall in the age group of 60-80, but recent trends seem to suggest that younger people are opting for this surgery as well. The lifetime of the artificial knee joint is around 20 years, provided the knee is well cared for.

Why do you need knee replacement?

Most common reason is “high grade osteoarthritis” due to wear and tear of the knee joint. The pre-hospital study of the Knee joint is mandatory and would decide what kind of Replacement is suitable to the patient. If there is diabetes or hypertension associated with this, then it should be controlled well before undergoing surgery. Hemoglobin of at least 10 gm% is required.

If the mobility in your knee joint is reduced leading to impaired functioning of the knee joint, then you might need a knee replacement surgery. You may experience pain while walking, sitting and, in some cases, resting as well.

Some of the common reasons why you may opt for this particular surgery are:

1. Gout, where, small crystals are formed inside the joint.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, wherein the immune system of the body attacks the body’s healthy tissues.
3. Hemophilia, wherein, the blood ceases to clot normally.
4. Injuries to the knee.
5. Disorders that cause unusual bone growth (bone dysplasias).
6. Death of bone in the knee joint following blood supply problems (avascular necrosis).
7. Knee deformity with pain and loss of cartilage.
8. Unusual growth of bones in the knee joint.

Knee replacement surgery is classified into:

1. Partial Knee Replacement: In this surgery, only one part of the joint is replaced.
2. Total Knee Replacement: Total knee replacement surgery involves replacement of both sides of the knee joint.

The usual hospital stay period is around 2-3 days after the surgery is completed. Initially, you will require the help of crutches to walk for at least 2 months. You may also be asked to do gentle knee strengthening exercises. It may take up to 3 months to recover completely from a knee replacement surgery.