Keep moving to preserve joint health For millions of Americans with osteoarthritis (OA) — the most common type of arthritis — joint pain, swelling and stiffness can become chronic conditions. Arthritis is most often felt in the knees, but also can affect the hips, lower back, neck and larger joints in the feet and hands. The good news? There are effective ways to both minimize your risk of OA and manage the pain and stiffness. Exercise and strength work are at the top of the list. “The more active you are, the better,” said University of Chicago Medicine orthopaedic surgeon Sara Wallace, MD, MPH, who specializes in joint care. WHAT CAUSES ARTHRITIS?
“There are components of wear and tear, but that’s not the driving force,” Wallace said. “We think there’s largely a genetic predisposition for osteoarthritis; it’s more about the way your cartilage was designed.” Obesity and major injuries at or around the joint also increase the risk of developing arthritis. Less common causes include inflammatory conditions and osteonecrosis, which is the loss of blood supply to the bone.
MINIMIZING THE RISK
You can lessen your risk and control symptoms — to some degree — by maintaining a healthy weight and remaining active. “Weight-bearing force helps maintain joint health,” Wallace said. “Strengthening muscles around the joints is also key to reducing pain and taking stress off joints.” Options for pain relief include acetaminophen or an anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen. The next step would be corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain. “Beyond that, you are looking at joint replacement,” Wallace said.
MANAGING ARTHRITIS
“Exercise is medicine,” Wallace said. “And the more balanced and stronger the muscles are around the joint, the better the joint health will be overall and the less pain you will experience.” Wallace recommends people stay active, exercise and do physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joints. “Maintain a healthy weight,” she said. “Even a 5- to 10-pound weight loss can have a tremendous impact on reducing joint pain.” Gentle stretching, yoga and tai chi may also improve flexibility and reduce stiffness and pain.
Increasing joint mobility with exercise and injection therapies
COMPREHENSIVE ORTHOPAEDIC CARE IS CLOSER TO WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK AND SHOP 94
Brendon Ross, DO, MS, a UChicago Medicine specialist in nonoperative orthopaedics and sports medicine, focuses on exercise, physical therapy and orthobiologics to increase joint mobility. “Strengthening the muscles around the joint — whether it’s the hip, knee or shoulder — offloads the burden of force that’s being transmitted to the joint,” he said. “Muscles are a very important component of stability and structure and can often slow the degenerative changes of arthritis.” Ross also offers injection therapies in his clinic. In addition to corticosteroids, these therapies include viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid — a naturally occurring substance in joint fluid — and platelet-rich plasma to increase joint mobility, reduce pain and promote faster healing.
Sara Wallace, MD, MPH
RIVER FOREST 290
SOUTH LOOP Comer Children’s Hospital Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine
HYDE PARK 55
294 355
90
ORLAND PARK
94
CRESTWOOD
TINLEY PARK
57
CALUMET CITY 65
80
FLOSSMOOR
U C M C O N N E C T 1 - 8 8 8 - 8 2 4 - 0 2 0 0 | UCHICAGOMEDICINE.ORG » 13
Hyde Park – Chicago Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine 5758 S. Maryland Ave.
Crestwood 4742 Cal Sag Road Flossmoor
