Right now, roughly 25% of Americans aged 65 and above suffer from knee pain. For them, squatting is near to impossible. If they do succeed, they need support to get back up and not without a jabbing pain in the knees.
Standing for long periods of time is an ordeal and moving about can painfully twist a ligament. A handrail is a must in going up and down staircases – one painful step after another.
Are you one of them? Then you know how it feels. I know (I am not American) because I have osteoarthritis in both knees – the most common form of arthritis and the major cause of knee pain.
So let’s strip down osteoarthritis naked to know what it is and how to cope with this health issue that has caused so much misery among elderly people like us.
What is Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage that cushions the knee joint. It can affect any joint of the body like the hips, hands, and spine. But it is more common in the knees because they support the full weight of the body.
This knee disorder comes in two forms: primary and secondary.
Primary osteoarthritis is due to aging. Aging causes the water content of the cartilage to increase and the degeneration of its protein make-up. In effect, repetitive flexing of the knee joint can cause pain and swelling.
Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by diseases or other conditions such as obesity, repeated trauma, or surgery on the joints and abnormal joints at birth. Obesity is the most common because it induces more mechanical stress on the knees.
Health conditions like gout, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other hormone imbalance can also cause secondary osteoarthritis.
How to cope with Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease and worsens over time. It causes chronic knee pain that may affect your daily tasks. In severe cases, it can result to sleep deprivation or depression.
Despite the ads you regularly see on FB and other social media outlets, there is no known cure for the disorder other than surgical implants. If there is any out there, the best it can do is to alleviate your suffering.
So if you are suffering from knee pain, see your doctor or rheumatologist. I just did – after five long years of suffering
Other than confirming that my knee pain is due to osteoarthritis, she also gave me some tips in coping with it.
Here are some of them:
1. Have a knee x-ray
A knee x-ray may seem redundant but it is the only way your doctor can assess the degree of degeneration of your knee cartilage.
2. Pain-alleviation strategies
Osteoarthritis can greatly affect your mobility. It slows you down and forces you to take extra care in your movements. A misstep can send a bolt of searing pain in your knees. So here’s a short list of things to be careful about to avoid that:
- Avoid squatting;
- Avoid standing for long periods of time;
- As much as possible, use the elevator, not the stairs;
- While walking, take care not to make sudden twists or turns, or sudden change in direction which can stretch your knee ligaments;
- Watch out for abrupt changes on surface elevation. An unexpected step on a low-level surface can give your knees a jolt;
- Avoid carrying heavy loads.
3. Be active
Ironically, one of the best ways of coping with osteoarthritis is to keep active to prevent joint and ligament stiffening. However, you must avoid high-impact exercises and use a pair of sneakers with soft soles to cushion your weight.
Knee and leg-strengthening exercises like hiking, stationary biking, and water sports are good activities in coping with osteoarthritis. For a more comprehensive list of activities visit the Arthritis Foundation site.
4. Use hot or cold compress:
Hot or cold compress is a good way to relieve sore on inflamed knees. Hot compress increases blood flow while cold compress reduces inflammation of the joints.
When to use either is your call. I find cold compress easier to prepare and bring along when I am doing outdoor sports like tennis.
5. Use canes, braces, supports:
Walking canes are cheap and convenient to take some of the weight off your knees. But prolonged use can alter the way you walk. If you don’t want to develop a limp, keep away from them.
Splints, braces, and supports won’t affect your gait but you have to consult your doctor so you can get the right one. I am using a knee brace – after consulting with my doctor. It works fine.
6. Lose weight:
This is a no-brainer. Excess weight is a lot to carry for old knees which have seen better days. However, obesity as a cause of knees pain may not hold true in all cases. For example, I have an ideal BMI (body mass index), yet both my knees have osteoarthritis. But it does pay to lose weight to avoid other obesity health-related issues.
7. Eat well:
Eating well means having the right amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. It must also have low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean meat, poultry, beans, eggs, nuts, and fish. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish may relieve pain.
Minimize or keep from food full of saturated fats and trans fats like butter, whole milk, baked goods. Also, minimize your consumption of sugar and salt.,
8. Use pain relievers::
If all of the above fails, use drugs – as a last resort.
It should be the last resort to avoid dependency or, worse, develop other health issues from prolonged use.
Over-the-the counter drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve),etc., may provide short and temporary relief from pain but should not be taken for long periods of time. In fact, they should not be taken for more than 10 days without running the risk of developing complications stomach irritation, bleeding, and possible liver problems.
When I started having knee pains, I consulted our company doctor. As if on cue, she said that my cartilage is starting to wear out. “But can’t my body rejuvenate them,” I asked. Her answer was as curt and direct as a slap on the face. “At your age, that’s as impossible as growing another tooth,” she said.
If you spend a little time on FB each evening, you can’t fail to notice a lot of ads to cope with knee pains – from simple to hi-tech braces, to ointments, tablets, or liquids that promise to get rid of your osteoarthritis. Don’t fall for any of them unless you want to throw good money away. Consult your doctor to be on the safe side.
Image: dreamstime.com
~oOo~
