Health & Wellness: Take Action Against Arthritis

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Daily Bread

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart.
Proverbs 15:30

Exercise can help alleviate pain, improve health

Some people may use an arthritis diagnosis as an excuse not to exercise, but keeping your body moving can help alleviate pain and improve your health.

What is osteoarthritis?
Known as the “wear and tear” form of arthritis, it affects mainly hands and weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees. It is caused by deterioration of cartilage, the part of the joint that cushions the ends of bones. As cartilage wears down, bones rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness and loss of movement. Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 20.7 million Americans, mostly after age 45, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

How is it osteoarthritis diagnosed?
A physician will diagnose osteoarthritis after taking a patient’s history, performing a physical exam and studying x-rays of affected joints. In a healthy joint, cartilage will appear as “caps” on bones. In a person with osteoarthritis, those caps will be gone. A condition known as “bony spurs” may also show up on the x-ray. Bone spurs occur because as cartilage wears away, the body responds by trying to grow more bone.

What is the treatment?
Patients have many treatment options. Usually the most conservative approaches are tried first before moving on to more aggressive therapies.

Medications known as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can help with swelling, inflammation and the resulting pain. Mild pain relievers such as acetaminophen can alleviate pain.
Steroid injections are another treatment.
Heat/ ice therapy can help. Ice reduces swelling and draws fluid from the joint. Heat relaxes surrounding muscles and removes stiffness.
Braces can help support joints.
Joint replacement surgery is an option when more conservative approaches are not effective.
Regular exercise is an excellent treatment.

Why is exercise so effective?
Keeping your body moving is an important part of coping with osteoarthritis. If you keep moving your joints won’t get stiff.

Classes designed for arthritis sufferers and taught by a certified instructor arw recommended. Aquatics classes for arthritis, Tai Chi for arthritis and low-impact exercise programs will help keep you limber, even if you are not completely free from pain. The warm water in the pool used for water exercise classes is soothing and you can move more in water than you can on dry land. Water exercise is beneficial because the buoyancy of the water takes the pressure off joints and helps with range of motion exercises.

Tai Chi is a good land-based exercise program because it incorporates flowing motions that work several parts of the body at once. It is good for building endurance, balance, good breathing, and mental focus.

Arthritis exercise programs incorporate very low impact exercises such as standing, sitting, working with exercise bands, marching and a variety of arm and leg exercises. Strengthening the muscles you have will provide more support for your joints. If you don’t move, your muscles will become atrophied.

Participating in an organized class is also good for the social interaction and support. Everyone in the class will have similar experiences. Your quality of life will be so much better when you move more. Because you can do more and enjoy more, you will be able to get out with your family and friends more often.

What is the focus of current research? Scientists are focusing on what factors cause cartilage to deteriorate and are searching for ways to replace that cartilage loss. Much progress has been made in the surgical technique and materials used in joint replacement; researchers are continuing to find ways to improve the procedure.

Where can arthritis patients go for help, additional information? Patients should always start with their physician. Also, the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) has local chapters throughout the United States. Check your local AF chapter, hospital or orthopedic/ rehabilitation clinics for support groups and seminars.

Published: May 11, 2006
Sources: Arthritis Foundation, National Library of Medicine; Centers for Disease Control.

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