Osteoarthritis is one of the many degenerative disorders that people may have to experience as they approach old age. This also among the most common reason for hip fractures, a health concern that often leads to surgical corrections at its advance stages, orthopedic experts say, emphasizing the need in understanding its different root causes and practicing ways to avoid or lessen the chance of developing this disease in the future.
Most commonly, osteoarthritis affects the weight-bearing joints such as the hips and the knees. For most of the elderly, the degeneration of the cartilage causes the ball-and-socket joints to rub against each other. As the disease progresses, there may be inflammation to the cartilage and swelling to the tissues that surround it. This produces an unexplainable pain and movement limitation. This may also develop in people with genetic connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
One other possible cause for hip osteoarthritis is physical trauma to the hip joints, tissues, and cartilage. This is not only limited to accidental injuries, but also to repetitive force or continuous pressure directed at the bony structures of the hips. Obese individuals and those whose daily activities or jobs involve lifting heavy objects are at greater risks for developing hip osteoarthritis in the long run.
Being a woman also raises one’s risk is developing a damaged cartilage and bones. This is mostly because of the hormonal fluctuations women experience. There are more women who ended up with hip osteoarthritis after the menopausal stage. According to previous studies, estrogen plays a vital role in strengthening the cartilage and maintaining the health and functionality of the hip joints. When estrogen level drops, the cartilage and the joints also suffer.
Congenital abnormalities that affect the structure of the bones may also lead to osteoarthritis. Abnormal forms of the bones may weaken the cartilage or wear them away progressively. Experts say there is no way of telling who will develop cartilage and hip joint damage in the future. However, lifestyle alterations may do wonders in reducing the symptoms or delaying the progression of the disease. These experts have recommended regular exercises (that are not too straining to the hip joints, muscles, and cartilage), proper weight management, and maintaining good body mechanics in all activities.
Nowadays, people afflicted with hip osteoarthritis have been increasingly dependent on surgeries, such as the innovative hip replacement approach which uses artificial devices to replace the damaged hip joints. With metallic implants, exercises and daily activities are much more tolerated. However, complications have also arisen in some of the patients leading to painful surgical revisions and weaker bones. If you have osteoarthritis or if your risk for developing it is high, you may want to adopt a lifestyle that is friendlier to the health of your bones and joints or read more osteoarthritis news on the latest medical and surgical treatments that are available today. Read more on this kind of topic at the Depuy hip recall center website.
References:
medicalnewstoday.com/articles/27871.php
arthritis.about.com/od/oa/a/osteo_symptoms.htm
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00213
arthritis-research.com/content/12/5/R182/
Most commonly, osteoarthritis affects the weight-bearing joints such as the hips and the knees. For most of the elderly, the degeneration of the cartilage causes the ball-and-socket joints to rub against each other. As the disease progresses, there may be inflammation to the cartilage and swelling to the tissues that surround it. This produces an unexplainable pain and movement limitation. This may also develop in people with genetic connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
One other possible cause for hip osteoarthritis is physical trauma to the hip joints, tissues, and cartilage. This is not only limited to accidental injuries, but also to repetitive force or continuous pressure directed at the bony structures of the hips. Obese individuals and those whose daily activities or jobs involve lifting heavy objects are at greater risks for developing hip osteoarthritis in the long run.
Being a woman also raises one’s risk is developing a damaged cartilage and bones. This is mostly because of the hormonal fluctuations women experience. There are more women who ended up with hip osteoarthritis after the menopausal stage. According to previous studies, estrogen plays a vital role in strengthening the cartilage and maintaining the health and functionality of the hip joints. When estrogen level drops, the cartilage and the joints also suffer.
Congenital abnormalities that affect the structure of the bones may also lead to osteoarthritis. Abnormal forms of the bones may weaken the cartilage or wear them away progressively. Experts say there is no way of telling who will develop cartilage and hip joint damage in the future. However, lifestyle alterations may do wonders in reducing the symptoms or delaying the progression of the disease. These experts have recommended regular exercises (that are not too straining to the hip joints, muscles, and cartilage), proper weight management, and maintaining good body mechanics in all activities.
Nowadays, people afflicted with hip osteoarthritis have been increasingly dependent on surgeries, such as the innovative hip replacement approach which uses artificial devices to replace the damaged hip joints. With metallic implants, exercises and daily activities are much more tolerated. However, complications have also arisen in some of the patients leading to painful surgical revisions and weaker bones. If you have osteoarthritis or if your risk for developing it is high, you may want to adopt a lifestyle that is friendlier to the health of your bones and joints or read more osteoarthritis news on the latest medical and surgical treatments that are available today. Read more on this kind of topic at the Depuy hip recall center website.
References:
medicalnewstoday.com/articles/27871.php
arthritis.about.com/od/oa/a/osteo_symptoms.htm
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00213
arthritis-research.com/content/12/5/R182/
