5 Best Practices for Managing Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) often starts out with some sporadic joint pain. You go on a long walk with a friend and you feel some pain and stiffness in your knees afterward. All too soon, this sporadic pain becomes more constant as the degeneration inside your joints progresses.

This scenario is one that all too many people are familiar with. Of the 58.5 million Americans who are diagnosed with arthritis, osteoarthritis affects 33 million.

Since May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, the team at Apex Pain Specialists in Chandler, Arizona, including board-certified pain management experts Dr. Naveen Reddy and Dr. Maziar Massrour, wants to review some key strategies for living with osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis: When joints break down

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and OA is by far the most common. This is because OA is a wear-and-tear form of arthritis and, as we age, most of our joints can show signs of degeneration.

With OA, the problem stems from the breakdown of cartilage inside the joint, which is a slippery connective tissue that covers the ends of the bones. This protective tissue prevents friction between the bones and also promotes cushioning and gliding within the joint.

As the cartilage breaks down, the bones can come into contact, and this friction can lead to the pain and inflammation that are the hallmarks of OA. And these symptoms can be further worsened if bits of bone break off due to the friction. The pieces of bone join the fragments of cartilage to create loose bodies inside the joint.

Moving better when you have OA

As with all of the other forms of arthritis, there’s no cure for OA. Making matters worse, OA is progressive so management becomes paramount if you want to slow and even halt the damage in your affected joints. The best ways to go about this is with the following key practices:

1. Get relief for your joint pain

Your first stop in managing OA should be with us so that we can assess the damage in your joints and get you set up with effective treatments that can help you move without pain. For example, corticosteroid injections are great for fast relief of the pain and inflammation and they allow you to take even more effective steps toward better managing your OA.

We also offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which take a regenerative approach to OA, helping to build healthier tissues. Also, PRP therapy can also minimize inflammation.

2. Get support

Another great practice is to find the right support for your arthritic joints, such as:

• Braces
• Splints
• Orthotics
• Assistive devices for walking

We’re happy to help you figure out which support methods would work best for your OA and your lifestyle.

3. Get active

We can’t say enough about the importance of exercise and strengthening when you have OA. First, moving your joints is essential for keeping healing resources flowing through, which can go a long way toward slowing and even halting the progression of your OA. This movement also promotes better lubrication inside your joints.

Alongside exercising, we also emphasize strengthening. The bones and cartilage in your joint shouldn’t bear all the burden and a great way to take the pressure off of these tissues is by strengthening surrounding muscles. For example, strong glutes can help take the pressure off of your hip joints.

4. Manage your weight

If your weight tips the scales into obesity — and this is the case with more than 40% of adults in the United States — weight loss is a great strategy for managing OA. These excess pounds are creating no small amount of wear and tear in your load-bearing joints, which sets the stage for more severe OA.

5. Explore complementary therapies

There are other therapies for OA that can help you find a little more relief from symptoms, such as hot and cold therapies at home, acupuncture, and massage therapy. Here again, we’re happy to point you in the right direction for these treatments once we assess your OA and which therapies might benefit you most.

To figure out which OA management strategies are best for your joint disease, your circumstances, and your goals, you can start by calling our office at 480-820-7246 today to schedule a visit. You can also book an appointment online.