We call osteoarthritis the calcification in the knee and hip joints, which are our weight-bearing joints. Osteoarthritis usually occurs in middle age and later, that is, after the age of 65-70, as a result of the loss of the cartilage surface of the joints. It may occur at an early age due to trauma, developmental disorder, infection in the joint, and misuse of the joints. For example, excessive bending of the knee, doing extreme sports, going up and down stairs, walking too long can cause cartilage wear in weight-bearing joints. The most important cause of joint pain due to calcification in the age of 35-40 is developmental disorders, especially in the hips.
What Should Be Done to Prevent Joint Calcification?
Body weight should also be kept under control in order to prevent joint calcification. By arranging daily activities, weight loss can be reduced through sports and exercise and the load on the joints can be reduced. For example, every time we take a step, we get about 10 times our body weight back from the ground. In other words, if you are 80 kilos, you will get about 800 kilos of force back from the ground. This weight passes through our ankle, knee, and clavicle. A person moves about 5 million times in 1 year. The joints are able to withstand this number of movements under normal conditions. However, if you use it more than normal, gain weight, go up and down stairs all the time, and your muscle strength is not strong enough, these joints will deteriorate. When the cartilage in the joint is worn, there is an inability to carry the body weight. The body tries to create new surfaces within the joint. We call these new bones calcification of the joint. The first sign of joint calcification is pain. Pain occurs in the knee, hip, or ankle. When there is cartilage wear, the joint, which can carry 8-10 times our body weight in its normal state, becomes unable to carry it anymore. The weight does not pass properly through the joint and the force accumulates in one place. As the weight-bearing area decreases, bone pain occurs in the joint.
As a result of the chemical changes created by the membrane inside the joint, pain occurs in the knee or groin area. After a while Night pains, which we call rest pain, are also seen. The patient performs daily activities, but the pain increases at night. This indicates that the disease is now progressing. After a while, the pain becomes constant. Pain occurs with every movement, day or night. Patients usually apply to the doctor at this stage of the disease. The patient is no longer able to perform his daily activities and surgery may be required with prosthetic applications. Corrective surgeries can be performed to restore the normal structure that the patient lost due to cartilage wear, to ensure that the weight-bearing surface can bear weight again, and to spread the weight to the entire joint rather than to a region. These surgeries are called osteotomy. In these surgeries, the bone is cut, straightened, and re-union is expected.
When cartilage wears off, a period of at least 10-15 years is gained with rescue surgeries to be performed when pain first appears. It is very important not to miss this period. When pain occurs, a doctor should be consulted. However, it is very important not to lose the chance to perform osteotomy surgeries, which allow us to move with our own bone and our own joint.
What is Articular Calcification?
The condition of loss and/or wear of the articular cartilage surface is called calcification (Osteoarthritis). .
What Should Be Done to Prevent Joint Calcification?
Body weight should be kept under control to prevent joint calcification.
What are the Symptoms of Joint Calcification?
The first sign of joint calcification is pain. Pain occurs in the knee, hip, or ankle. In the next stage, night pains, which we call resting pain, are seen. After a while, the pain becomes continuous.
What are the Treatment Methods in Joint Calcification?
* The patient is no longer able to perform activities of daily living and prosthesis applications and surgery are required.
* Corrective surgeries (Osteotomy) can be performed in patients in their 20s with early joint calcification.
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