Poona Hospital & Research Centre

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects millions of people around the world and is caused due to the gradual wear and tear of the protective cartilage at the end of your bones. The condition most commonly affects the joints in the hands, knees, hips and spine although it can damage any joint in the body.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis develop slowly and get worse with time, and include pain during and after physical activities like movement. The joints may become tender and may pain even with the application of light pressure. Stiffness and loss of flexibility are some of the other symptoms. The loss of cartilage due to gradual wear and tear causes the condition. It causes the smooth surface of the cartilage to become rough, giving rise to friction.

Some of the risk factors involved that can increase your chances of developing the condition are:

• Old age - The chance of osteoarthritis increases with a person's age.
• Sex - A study concluded that women are more likely to develop the condition. Although there isn't an established reason, lesser physical activity is attributed as a possible cause.
• Obesity - Having excessive body weight can be a contributing factor. This is because it puts added pressure on the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and the knees.
• Joint injuries - Joint injuries contracted due to sports activities, accidents or other such factors can increase the likelihood of this condition.
• Genetics - In some of the cases, the condition is observed to be passed from generation to generation.
• Bone deformities - Some people who are born with bone deformities and defects can have greater chances of having this condition.
• Other diseases - Having diseases like diabetes and gout can increase the risk of the condition.

Some of the complications of this disease are:

- Joint pain and stiffness may cause hurdles in daily activities. Daily activities like changing clothes can be painful.
- Some people are unable to work any longer. Joint replacement surgeries are advised by doctors in these cases. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Have you undergone cartilage damage recently and are seeking ideal treatment measures? Cartilage damage is a common form of injury that involves your knees. Other joints such as the ankles, elbows and hips may also be affected by cartilage damage. Cartilage, the tough and flexible tissues covering the surface of your joints, acts as a shock absorber, allowing the bones to slide over each other. Cartilage damage may occur because of injuries such as a gradual wear, sports injuries and osteoarthritis. While acute cartilage damage may heal on its own, severe damage may need treatment via surgical measures.

Treatment

Physiotherapy

• Physiotherapy is effective when you experience difficulty in moving your affected joint.
• It is also an important part of recovery if you have to undergo surgical procedures for treating cartilage damage.
• A physiotherapist will teach you certain exercises that are effective for strengthening the muscles that surround and support your affected joint.
• This helps in reducing pain and pressure on the joint.

Surgery

• Severe and serious cartilage damage does not heal effectively on its own, and a surgery may be required for treatment.
• Usually, surgery is performed by using Arthroscopy. This is a form of keyhole surgery in which certain instruments are inserted into your affected joint via incisions or small cuts.
• In some cases, larger incisions have to be made.
• Such surgeries are carried out after giving general anesthesia to the patient.

The most common surgeries that are undertaken in cases of cartilage damage include the following:

Lavage and debridement

• In this form of surgery, your joint is cleaned for the removal of any loose tissues.
• The damaged edges are trimmed to be made smooth. Sometimes, the damage may also be repaired during the same time.

Marrow stimulation

• In this procedure, tiny holes are made on the bone beneath your damaged cartilage that releases the bone marrow in it.
• The marrow cells stimulate the production of new cartilage.

Mosaicplasty

• In this procedure, small plugs of healthy cartilage from areas of a joint that are non-weight bearing are removed and used for replacing areas of the affected cartilage.

Osteotomy

• This procedure involves the alteration of the alignment of your leg for reducing pressure on the damaged area.
• It is effective in improving pain.
• A wedge of bone may be removed or added from your thigh bone or shin bone.
• The bone gets fixed with a plate till it gets healed.

In some cases, a joint replacement surgery has to be carried out. In this procedure, the entire affected joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint. Hip replacement and knee replacement are common examples of this kind of surgery.