Dr. Sanjay Alle

Your knees are one of the most vulnerable parts of your bodies. In case of strenuous or vigorous activities, knees are more prone to damage and injury than the other parts. Several of the knee tissues are fairly delicate and often are easily impaired. Among the other knee tissue injuries, meniscus tears are perhaps the most frequent. Meniscus is essentially a cartilage that protects and stabilizes the knee joints. However, an untoward twist or a strain can lead to a tear in the meniscus. Meniscus tears are a common phenomenon among athletes and sportsmen. They have been noted to be more recurrent in older individuals. 

Some of the early symptoms that indicate the onset of a meniscus tear are swelling and difficulty in bending or straightening of the leg. Sometimes a "locking sensation" in the knees also forebodes a torn meniscus. The inflammation potentially causes a lot of pain and irritation. While, it is fairly easy to ignore a meniscus tear for a normal knee injury, prolonged overlooking may only aggravate the pain and worsen the condition. The process of diagnosing a meniscus tear usually involves an MRI scan and an X-ray examination, over and above a detailed evaluation of the wound.

Treating meniscus tears vary according to the extent of the injury. Depending upon the location and the depth of the tear, various cures can be tried. The healing process, however, depends upon other allied factors such as age, level of physical activities and one's medical history. An external and minor injury is easily mendable. Whereas, graver injuries are resolved through surgical means. The other non-operative means include certain prescribed medicines and specific exercises. Some of the recommended ways of battling a meniscus tear can be enlisted as:

1. Resting the knee by limiting the activities that involve excessive use of the legs or they may potentially strain the leg muscles.
2. Applying ice pack can significantly bring relief to the swelling and the pain in the injured knee. Doctors advice regular use for a duration of at least 15 days.
3. Compressing the knee using an elastic bandage or neoprene sleeve reduces the swelling in the knee.
4. Prescribed medicines in the likes of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be effective remedies for a meniscus tear. However, one must mandatorily consult a doctor before consuming such medicines.

Shoulder pain is one most common problem regularly seen in my opd. As this problem does not get cured only with medicines, patient get frustrated with pain. Physiotherapy plays very important role in the treatment.

When joints get inflamed, it is known as arthritis. This causes swelling and pain in the joints of your body such as the hips and the knees. When the cartilage gets damaged at the ends of bones, a type of arthritis called osteoarthritis occurs.

There are two main types of osteoarthritis:

1. Primary: This type is more generalized. It affects the knees, fingers, hips, spine and thumb.
2. Secondary: This type can occur after injury or joint inflammation, or as a result of any disease that affects the ligament's composition, like hemochromatosis.

How is the hip affected by osteoarthritis?
Patients have difficulties walking if they have hip osteoarthritis. Diagnosing hip osteoarthritis is difficult. It is because the pain appears in varied locations, such as the groin, buttocks, knee or thigh. The pain can be a dull throb or can be sharp and stabbing. The hip is usually stiff.

What are the causes of hip osteoarthritis?

The causes of hip osteoarthritis are unknown. However, the factors that can lead to osteoarthritis are joint injury, excessive weight and rising age.
Along with the abovementioned factors, the following may contribute as well:

1. The joints may not have developed accurately
2. The cartilage may have inherited the defects
3. If the joints are too irritated due to added pressure on them, like excess body weight or stressful activities that include hip movement, osteoarthritis may develop.

What are the symptoms of hip osteoarthritis?
The symptoms of hip osteoarthritis are as follows:

1. Joints feel stiff when you get out of bed
2. Joints feel stiff if you have been sitting for some time
3. The joints feel painful, swollen or tender
4. You can hear (a "crunching" sound) or feel the bones rubbing against each other.
5. You find yourself unable to do certain things, like putting on socks, as it requires your hips to move.

How is hip osteoarthritis treated?
The main objective of treatment is to restore the patient's ability to move around. A part of this objective includes correcting the function of the hip and managing the pain. The treatment can include:

1. Joint care and rest
2. To take weight off the area affected, a cane is used
3. Pain relief that does not involve drugs
4. Shedding excess weight
5. Exercising
6. Surgery
7. Alternative and complementary therapies

Your shoulder is one of the most overused joints in the body and thus is at a higher risk of contracting an injury. Shoulder pain may lead to mobility issues where moving your arms may become extremely difficult. The shoulder consists of three parts, viz. the shoulder blade, collarbone and the upper arm bone. Shoulder pain may result from an injury to any of these areas.

The various causes of shoulder pain are:

1. Impingement: Impingement of the shoulder muscle occurs when the top of the shoulder impinges on the rotator cuff muscles. This condition can lead to severe pain in the shoulder.
2. Bursitis: Bursa is a fluid filled sac that cushions the bones and help in preventing friction. Bursitis is a disorder that results in inflammation of the bursa, thus resulting in shoulder pain.
3. Tendinitis: Tendinitis is a condition that is characterized by gradual wear and tear of the tendon. Usually the rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder are affected by this condition.
4. Instability of the shoulder: Shoulder instability is a disorder of the shoulder wherein the upper arm bone dislocates from its socket. This can cause excessive pain in the shoulder.
5. Fractures: A fracture in the bones of the shoulder results in excruciating shoulder pain.
6. Arthritis: Arthritis is a disorder that leads to inflammation in the joints, thus resulting in pain and impaired movement of the joint.

Treatment
The treatment for shoulder pain consists of medications and physiotherapy. You may also be asked to discontinue any strenuous activity that requires shoulder movement. Medications such as NSAIDs are prescribed to help in controlling the pain. Various stretches of the shoulder are also recommended to improve shoulder flexibility and mobility.

Tips
Do exercises such as the overhead press with light weights to improve your shoulder strength. Also make sure to include certain external rotation exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!