Patients between the ages of 40 and 60 are experiencing knee arthritis, is growing day by day. This patient population presents a unique set of treatment challenges. Understanding available options and tailoring treatments to each patient s needs and desires is the key to successful outcomes.
We examined both surgical and non-surgical treatments available for younger patients with knee arthritis, to determine the best action for patients who want to continue to participate in demanding sports. More active patients require more flexible treatment programs to allow them to remain as active as they would like.
There is an increasing trend with the people who want to stay active in sports and recreational activities after the age of 40. These patients are not concerned with being told to stop what they love doing. As a result, orthopaedic surgeons and physicians need to come up with different strategies including non-operative treatments or even cartilage restoration procedures, to address pain and functionality, and to help keep patients as active as possible.
In most cases, non-operative management such as bracing, viscosupplementation(injection of hyaluronic acid), activity modification or anti-inflammatory medication might be used initially, to see if the symptoms resolve or if there is enough improvement to make surgery unnecessary.
The onset of arthritis is a slow, degenerative process and therefore there is rarely a need to rush to surgery. Depending on the symptoms, many patients can be managed well with non-operative treatment strategies, whereas others truly benefit from surgical procedures. It is important to tailor treatment to the symptoms and activity level for each patient.
Although alternative treatments like acupuncture, glucosamine and chondroitin may be incorporated into an overall treatment plan, but currently there is no strong clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of these alternative-types of treatment.
Approach to help patients remain active:
· Take control of your situation—understand the disease process and symptoms and learn about different treatment options.
· Work with your physician to come up with both short-term and long-term courses of treatment to help know your symptoms early while maintaining the health of your knee and body for as long as possible.
· Be flexible with your activities. In most cases, mild activity modification such as switching to more biking or swimming and less running may make a huge difference in the number and severity of symptoms. Trying new activities also can help keep morale high.
· Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your doctor. Look for a doctor who can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option, and who is willing to work with you to tailor a treatment strategy to your individual needs.
For more details please contact:
Dr. Prateek Gupta (Senior Surgeon)
Arthroscopy Surgery Clinic
C2/5 Safdarjung Development Area (SDA),
Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi - 110016
INDIA
Telephones: +91 9810852876, +91 11 26517776
24 x 7 Helpline & Appointment: +91 9810633876
Email: sportsmedicinedelhi@yahoo.com,
sportsmedicineclinics@gmail.com
Website: http://www.sportsmedicineclinicdelhi.com/arthroscopy.htm ,
http://www.sportsmedicineclinicdelhi.com ,
http://www.arthroscopysurgeryindia.com