What you should know about Joint Wear and Tear
Joint wear and tear, also known as osteoarthritis. It is characterized by the degeneration of cartilage, over the years the tissues that cover the ends of our bones in a joint wear out, causing discomfort or pain and at the same time, the movements become less fluid.
There is no exact cause of this degenerative joint disease, however, some of the factors of its appearance begin in patients/people with older age, due to genetics, work activity, obesity, trauma, injuries or high physical activity. The most common sites of osteoarthritis are the knees, hips, hands and spine.
The most common symptoms of joint wear and tear that a person with osteoarthritis may experience are joint inflammation causing joint pain, as well as stiffness and functional disability; it is important to know that in osteoarthritis pain worsens with movement and improves with rest.
So far there is no cure, so the objective of osteoarthritis treatment is based on improving pain, delaying its evolution and improving the patient’s quality of life. For this, there are several alternatives from physical, drugs or in extreme cases surgery.
Within the physical ones we can find exercises for osteoarthritis (walking, swimming, cycling), therapies for joint wear, use of splints, canes or insoles, all this based on a balanced diet. The drugs are prescribed by a specialized physician within a traumatology consultation and the objective of the surgery is to reduce pain and recover part of the function of the joint or joint replacement.
If you have or suffer from joint wear and tear contact Dr. Erika Barajas, traumatologist and orthopedist in Tijuana for proper care.
