Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a degenerating disease of the joint, characterized by cartilage destruction and associated with joint pain and swelling.
While age is the strongest factor in the development of osteoarthritis, it is a condition that can also be induced due to a traumatic injury.
It can occur in any joint, but most often it affects the knees, hips, hands, feet and spine.
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis accounts for low percentace of all cases of symptomatic osteoarthritis.
For some joints, such as the ankle, traumatic injury is the predominate factor. While all joint tissues can undergo traumatic injury, the cartilage, which plays a major role in joint protection and stabilization, is the most significant as it is irreversible and is one of the major factors for developing osteoarthritis after injury.
Football, rugby and hockey are examples of sports that can cause blunt trauma to the joints, and hence present high risk of joint degeneration.
While age is the strongest factor in the development of osteoarthritis, it is a condition that can also be induced due to a traumatic injury.
It can occur in any joint, but most often it affects the knees, hips, hands, feet and spine.
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis accounts for low percentace of all cases of symptomatic osteoarthritis.
For some joints, such as the ankle, traumatic injury is the predominate factor. While all joint tissues can undergo traumatic injury, the cartilage, which plays a major role in joint protection and stabilization, is the most significant as it is irreversible and is one of the major factors for developing osteoarthritis after injury.
Football, rugby and hockey are examples of sports that can cause blunt trauma to the joints, and hence present high risk of joint degeneration.
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SYMPTOMS
Some individuals with osteoarthritis may be asymptomatic.
CAUSES/RISK FACTORS
DIAGNOSIS
Osteoarthritis is primarily a clinical diagnosis, with a physical examination of the various signs and symptoms. It is often asymptomatic, and can only be diagnosed using imaging technique.
Pain and limitation in movement are however the most common signs.
Radiography can be used as confirmation and to eliminate other possibilities.
TREATMENT
Osteoarthritis is an incurable degenerative disease. Once a patient is diagnosed, most treatment aims to relieve the symptoms.
In general, treatment begins with the safest and least invasive methods before proceeding to more invasive and expensive methods.
- Exercise should be a part of the first stage of treatment.
- Pain killers or NSAID
- Steroidal injections, such as corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injection
- In-shoe orthotics to reduce foot joint range of motion and support the foot structure.
Surgical treatment can be considered only if non-surgical treatment has been ineffective in alleviating symptoms.
Some individuals with osteoarthritis may be asymptomatic.
- Pain in the affected joint – this is the main symptom, and usually worsens when active, and gets better when at rest.
- Stiffness in the affected area – this usually occurs in the morning after getting up and gets better after 30 minutes of activity.
- No palpable warmth.
- Joint effusion may be present, (increased fluid in the joint).
- Bony enlargement.
- Deformity at the joint – this is usually the case of the hands and knees. For the knee, it could be presented as knock knees or bow legs.
- For hip, big toe joint osteoarthritis, there may be formation of osteophytes or bony projections.
CAUSES/RISK FACTORS
- Older age
- Previous injury
- Obesity
- Job that requires repetitive bending
- Inflammatory joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis
- No history of osteoporosis.
- Being female – Up to the age of 55, men and women are equally predisposed to developing osteoarthritis; however, after age 55, women are twice as likely to develop osteoarthritis compared to men. Post-menopause is seen as the reason for this increased risk.
DIAGNOSIS
Osteoarthritis is primarily a clinical diagnosis, with a physical examination of the various signs and symptoms. It is often asymptomatic, and can only be diagnosed using imaging technique.
Pain and limitation in movement are however the most common signs.
Radiography can be used as confirmation and to eliminate other possibilities.
TREATMENT
Osteoarthritis is an incurable degenerative disease. Once a patient is diagnosed, most treatment aims to relieve the symptoms.
In general, treatment begins with the safest and least invasive methods before proceeding to more invasive and expensive methods.
- Exercise should be a part of the first stage of treatment.
- Pain killers or NSAID
- Steroidal injections, such as corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injection
- In-shoe orthotics to reduce foot joint range of motion and support the foot structure.
Surgical treatment can be considered only if non-surgical treatment has been ineffective in alleviating symptoms.