The subject of today's article is osteoarthritis; calcification as it is known among the people. One of the most common misconceptions is that calcification creates an accumulation in the joints. However, osteoarthritis is actually a wear and tear. Calcification occurs when the cartilage structure, which has the task of reducing friction in the joint, wears out over time due to various factors. These factors are;
-Age
-Excessive Weight
-Excessive Use
-Extreme Muscle Weakness
- Malnutrition
-Genetic Predisposition
Osteoarthritis is generally more common in women over 55 years of age. It is particularly common in load-bearing joints such as knees and hips. In this disease, complaints such as limitation of movement in the morning, pain, edema, and difficulty in weight bearing are observed. Small protrusions occur in the bones, and the decrease in synovial fluid, which allows easy movement in the joint, causes both difficulty in joint movements and pain. While this pain is less in the initial stages, it can reach dimensions that cause dysfunction in the later stages. Likewise, while there is minimal loss of joint mobility in the early stages, joint mobility decreases significantly in advanced stages.
It is generally examined in 4 stages;
- Stage 1: It is the initial stage. There may be slight damage to the cartilage tissue. There is no obvious joint narrowing. Usually, there is no finding since there is minimal damage in the x-ray to be taken.
-Stage 2: Mild damage has begun. Thinning of the cartilage tissue has begun. Osteophyte growth and minor damage can be seen in the x-ray to be taken.
-Stage 3: In this stage, the cartilage damage has progressed and the space between the bones has decreased. Walking, running, knee bending, etc. pain and limitation of movement are observed in activities. There is swelling (edema) and increased temperature in the knee.
-Stage 4: It is the most severe stage. At this stage, prosthetic surgery may be the only option. The symptoms are very pronounced. There is intense pain and a great limitation of movement in the joint. Generally, individuals have difficulties even in short distance walks.
PROTECTION METHODS
Of course, we can do something to protect your joint health without experiencing this discomfort. There are things;
-Being at your ideal weight: The more extra weight you put on your joints, the faster they deform. That's why you need to be at your ideal weight.
-Exercise regularly: The better your muscle strength, the less loads on your joints and the less wear on your joints.
-Avoiding excessive use. : We must pay attention to rest periods while exercising or doing a job that will use our joints a lot.
-Posture analysis: Posture analysis is very important in detecting incorrect loads on the joints. Thanks to the posture analysis, you can easily prevent your joint from being exposed to wrong loads. You can consult your physiotherapist to have a posture analysis.
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