Understanding Osteoarthritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Management
- Vitality Fitness and Rehab
- Sep 26, 2023
- 4 min read
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects millions of people worldwide. This degenerative joint disease can cause pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility, significantly impacting the quality of life. In this blog, I will delve into the causes, symptoms, and management strategies for osteoarthritis. By gaining a better understanding of this condition, you can begin taking proactive steps to manage your symptoms, slow down its progression, and enhance your overall well-being.
Causes and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis:
Causes:
Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of bones within a joint wears down over time. While the exact cause of osteoarthritis is not fully understood, several factors contribute to its development:
1. Aging: The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age, as the natural wear and tear on joints accumulate over time.
2. Joint Injury or Overuse: Previous joint injuries or repetitive stress on joints can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis.
3. Genetics: Certain genetic factors can make individuals more susceptible to developing osteoarthritis.
4. Obesity: Excess weight puts additional stress on joints, increasing the likelihood of osteoarthritis, especially in weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. Every pound of body weight places about 4-6 lbs of pressure on EACH knee joint, and individuals who are obese are 20 times more likely to need a knee replacement than those who are not overweight.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of osteoarthritis can vary from person to person, but they commonly include:
1. Joint Pain: Pain or aching sensations during or after movement, which may worsen with time.
2. Stiffness: Joint stiffness, especially after periods of inactivity or upon waking up in the morning.
3. Reduced Range of Motion: Decreased flexibility and difficulty in fully moving the affected joint.
4. Swelling: Swelling and tenderness around the joint due to inflammation.
5. Joint Instability: Feeling of joint instability or a sensation that the joint is giving way.
Management of Osteoarthritis
While there is no cure for osteoarthritis, various management strategies can help individuals alleviate pain, improve joint function, and maintain an active lifestyle:
1. Exercise: Engage in low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. This helps provide support and stability while reducing joint stress.
2. Resistance Training: Engaging in resistance training can help improve both strength and mobility while reducing the pain commonly associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Resistance training should always be conducted under the instruction of a professional to ensure that pain is not worsened. However, when performed correctly and consistently, this type of training has resulted in significant improvements across all three outcomes. The American College of Sports Medicine's ‘Guidelines For Exercise with OA’ recommend that resistance training should be performed 2-3 days per week, starting with one or more sets of 2-3 repetitions and gradually building up to completing 10 full repetitions. Free weight exercises and activities that involve large muscle groups, such as walking, are all recommended to build strength and promote mobility.
3. Weight Management: Maintain a healthy weight or achieve weight loss if necessary. As mentioned earlier in the blog excess weight places added strain on joints, exacerbating osteoarthritis symptoms.
4. Pain Relief: Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help manage pain and reduce inflammation. Consult with a healthcare professional for proper dosage and long-term use.
5. Physical Therapy: Working with a physical therapist can provide targeted exercises, manual therapy, and techniques to improve joint mobility, reduce pain, and strengthen supporting muscles.
6. Assistive Devices: Utilize assistive devices such as braces, canes, or splints to provide additional support to affected joints and alleviate stress during daily activities.
7. Hot and Cold Therapy: Applying heat or cold to affected joints can help reduce pain and inflammation.
8. Healthy Diet: Incorporate a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Certain foods like omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish) and antioxidants (found in colorful fruits and vegetables) may have anti-inflammatory properties.
8. Joint Protection: Use proper body mechanics when performing tasks and avoid repetitive movements that strain the joints. Modify activities to reduce impact and stress on affected individuals. I highly recommend considering this approach when your symptoms flare up, and making connections to identify the causes. Is it the same task? Can you perform it differently with better mechanics, such as lifting with better form, or can you avoid the task altogether?
Personal Experience and Summary
After undergoing three knee surgeries and experiencing arthritis in both hands, I have found solace in resistance training. While we cannot always control the variables that led to our osteoarthritis, we can make ourselves as strong and mobile as possible - nobody ever regrets becoming stronger! When performed consistently over an extended period of time, I have noticed a significant improvement in symptoms related to osteoarthritis.
It is crucial when considering resistance training to ensure training is supervised, so that your individual needs are catered for. Completing generic moves that are not specific to your condition could cause greater harm to your functionality. Therefore, I suggest reaching out to a local professional who can assess you and provide guidance accordingly. At Vitality Fitness and Rehab, we offer both face-to-face and online sessions to start your resistance training journey. This usually includes a comprehensive full-body strength program, coaching you through different exercises designed specifically for you, helping you become stronger and more mobile.
Final Thoughts:
From my personal experience, I recognise that enduring continuous pain on a daily basis is debilitating and can significantly affect your day-to-day functioning and overall perspective on life. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate various strategies to minimize this pain whenever possible. In summary, if I could recommend 4 key pieces of advice they would be to:
1. Seek the assistance of a professional who can help develop a resistance/exercise program tailored to your specific needs.
2. If you are overweight, prioritize shedding some weight to alleviate unnecessary strain on your joints.
3. Attempt to modify or eliminate tasks that trigger pain, swelling, or stiffness.
4. Reduce the amount of time spent sitting and make an effort to move more within the limits of your body's capabilities.
Live, move and feel better, for longer.
You are able to find videos on osteoarthritis and some exercises for maintaining a healthy strong body on our social media channel here: Facebook , Instagram
If you have any further questions, please email us at enquiries@vitalityrehabfit.co.uk. Alternatively, our team will be posting a blog each week discussing various conditions and the aging process which you can get emailed to you weekly by going to our website here and entering your email.
