Do you need a Kneecap ??

Yes & no.You certainly don't need a kneecap or hinged brace for arthritis. You are much better off & much more comfortable doing exercises & making subtle changes in your lifestyle. If you have end stages knee arthritis, then also you won't benefit from any braces, you may be better off getting a knee replacement.

If we are able to diagnose isolated arthritis of one half of the knee replacement.

If we are able to diagnose isolated arthritis of one half of the knee, then you will benefit from an offloading brace.The problem with the offloading brace is that it also offloads your purse! Most such braces are very expensive.Another problem is that you need to wear them throughout the day, which may be a challenge n our mostly tropical climate & if you are fond of tight clothing.Sometimes these braces simply don't fit us diameters & that causes the brace to lift off the skin in some places.An ill-fitting brace will not work for you & might actually be counterproductive by constantly rubbing against the skin & eventually ulcerating it!

How Soon will the braces start having its effect?

We are all in a terrible hurry to see results, especially after spending a fortune on the offloading brace. Results in terms of pain relief take time . just like a new shoe, the knee may feel sore. Some people don't obtain that much of pain, but their mobility & joint flexibility improves. In a nutshell, it is unrealistic to expect magic from the braces. Be prepared to wait out a few weeks for its effects to kick in.

Are offloading braces available in India?

Yes, but only on a doctors prescription.All the braces available off the shelf are mostly useless from afar as knee osteoarthritis.

Shree Meenakshi Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic has all the modern equipment and techniques to perform all kind of orthopedic surgery  Dr. Raju is a well-known surgeon for knee injuries and one of the best orthopedic doctors in New Delhi. The hospital has a good hold on knee surgeries and has a high rate of successful surgeries.

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Mail us @  drrajueswaran@gmail.com

Visit us : drraju.in

Effective Treatment for Arthritis

What does arthritis mean?
Arthritis is derived from the Greek words "Arthros" meaning joint & "itis" meaning inflammation. Any inflammation/ irritation/wear & tear of the joint is called arthritis. In the initial stages arthritis results in pain & stiffness of the joint. Later on the muscles around the joint weaken & become smaller in size. Towards the end, the joint loses most of its useful movement & the bone develops deformities.
What are the causes of arthritis?
Broadly speaking arthritis is of two main types; inflammatory arthritis & non inflammatory arthritis. The more common non-inflammatory arthritis is also known as osteoarthritis is due to the age related wear & tear of the joint cartilage. The less common inflammatory arthritis is due to the body producing antibodies to the joint cartilage. The body reacts against its own tissue & causes widespread damage to the joints.
Common types of Arthritis

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?
lt depends on the joint affected. If knee is affected, it causes pain in the knee, with decreased ability to walk & run. Stiffness of the knees makes simple things like getting into a chair or getting out of it difficult. Stair climbing also becomes increasingly difficult. In the spine, pain is brought on by bending. Sometimes the tiny nerve endings that branch off from the spinal cord & travel in various directions can get pinched by excess bone formation that is seen with arthritis. This results in numbness & tingling in the arms & legs depending on the area affected (neck vs low back). Hip arthritis makes sitting difficult &there is pain especially in the night. Finger arthritis makes down fine things difficult like turning a key, holding a pen or a spoon to eat.

What is osteoarthritis?
It is the most common form of arthritis affecting our joints. Really speaking it is not a disease at all ! It is simply a manifestation of ageing. As me grow older our joints undergo wear & tear. Normally each of our joints has a cushion of variable thickness at its ends called, the cartilage. As we age, the thickness of the cartilage decreases, forcing raw bone to come in contact with raw bone, thereby leading to pain. Our joints have another protective mechanism called the "synovial fluid”. In our youth, healthy thick viscous synovial fluid is produced which adds to this Iubrication. As we age, our joints produce copious amounts of less viscous watery synocial fluid that is Iess efficient in lubricating the joint.The reason why we develop arthritis is not fully known. Almost any joint can be effected, the commonest being the knees, hips, neck, lower back & the fingers.

How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?

Usually through a good clinical history & detailed examination, one can diagnose osteoarthritis. Sometimes blood tests may be required to distinguish if from the more serious inflammatory arthritis. X rays will be required in all instances to assess the stage of the disease.Very rarely MRl may also be required in addition to study the soft tissues around the joint.

How is osteoarthritis treated?
Once the smooth cartilage of the joint is destroyed, it cannot be replaced by any known modern treatment. However, if one keeps the muscles around a joint strong through exercise, the ill effects of the lost cartilage can be minimised.

Physiotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment of osteoarthritis. In the knee it means doing what we call the quadriceps & hamstring exercises, for the hip the muscle on the side & back or the hip (abdurtors and gluteus maximus) need to be strengthened, in  the spine the muscles on either side of the centre (paraspinal muscles) are strengthened & for the fingers, handgrip exercises are prescribed, Water based exercise (swimming) are far superior to land based exercises for osteoarthritis of almost any joint. Immersion in water makes our body lighter & restores the lost flexibility to our muscles and tendons. Light resistance training with weights/ theraband is also recommended to increase muscle strength. Weight loss helps immensely by offloading the sore joints. Applying hot packs helps soothe the muscles around the joint. For acute onset pains, Ice packs are
recommended. Application of an ointment or a spray always helps, The physical therapist also use ultrasound, tiny pulses of electric current (TENS) and a special form of deep heat to further help heal the pain. You should take simple precautions like not doing activities like squatting & cross legged sitting. Using a stick for knee and hip arthritis is also very helpful

Anti-nfIammatory medicines (loosely called pain killers) are also prescribed judiciously for a short period to help relieve the pain & inflammation of the sore joints. Prolonged intake of these medicines is harmful for the heart, stomach & kidneys. In case you feel the need to take these medicines on a daily basis, you may be suffering from an advanced stage of the disease & might benefit from a joint replacement, Collagen powders are increasingly being used for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. They are contained in a sachet & are meant to be dissolved in a cup of lukewarm water & gulped down on a daily basis for 3-6 months. They have a role to play in early arthritis, once the disease is advanced, they have little to no therapeutic effect.

Newer therapies like willow bark extract are about to enter the market & will usher in an exciting phase of naturally occurring plant based pain relief medications. These medicines relieve pain & unlike the mainstream painkillers, they are virtually devoid of all major side effects.

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Email Us: drrajueswaran@gmail.com

Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment in India

Knee osteoarthritis is sometimes not considered to be a disease, it is simply a normal manifestation of ageing, like grey hair. Everyone will develop arthritis one day or the other, we are just genetically programmed to get it at different ages. Some develop it early, some develop it late. Knee arthritis is not the end of the road in terms of living an active lifestyle. With these suggested lifestyle modifications, you can delay or prevent the eventual manifestations of the disease.

Swim, swim, swim. It is a well known fact that in water we feel lighter due to the Archimedes principle. Stiff & painful joints ease up like magic in the water. If you don't know how to swim, simply walk across the length & breadth of the shallow section of the pool, or immerse your feet in the water, sitting on the edge. If you know how to swim, it is a great advantage. You know what, it is never too late to learn. If you also suffer from backache, it will improve with swimming. Another silent advantage is the amount of Vit D you make during an hour's swim with your body exposed to the sun!

Aerobic exercises for 30-60 minutes a day will keep you & your knees healthy. Brisk walking is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise. There is a lot of confusion regarding whether people with knee pain should do a regular morning walk or not. It is recommended that you walk on soft surfaces like grass or artificial turf or a high end treadmill with built in shock absorbing properties. Walking or running on hard concrete & similar surfaces can aggravate your knee pain. In case of confusion remember that apart from the knee you have a heart & a pair of lungs. They demand aerobic exercise & brisk walking is the best form of that. Exercise done properly didn't do anyone harm!

Resistance training or weight training done 2 times a week keeps your bones strong. You should do one type of exercise for the upper body like dumbbell curls & one variant for the lower body like the leg press. 8-12 repetitions should be targeted with 60-70% of the weight you can lift maximally. For example if you can do a biceps curl with 20 pounds, pick 12 pounds instead.

Let's face it. Orthopedic exercise is boring. We forget to do it often enough. One of the biggest challenges is to remember when to exercise. If we set target oriented goals like doing a set of exercises immediately before breakfast, lunch & dinner, then we are more likely to remember to do the prescribed orthopaedic exercises.

Say no to certain things, like squatting, cross legged sitting. If you have a lift don't use stairs. If you don't have a lift, use the stairs as sparingly as possible. 

Watch this space for more relevant information that may help your sore knees. Till then get up & exercise!
Know More about : Best Osteoarthritis Treatment in India
Know More : Knee Arthroscopy , Knee replacement surgery , Knee Ligament Injuries