The subject of today’s article is osteoarthritis; calcification as it is popularly known. 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
-Overweight
-Overuse
-Extreme Muscle Weakness
-Malnutrition
-Genetic predisposition
Osteoarthritis is more common in women over the age of 55. It is especially seen in the joints such as the knee and hip bearing the load. In this disease, complaints such as limitation of movement in the morning, pain, edema, and difficulty in carrying a load 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 first stages, it can become dysfunctional in the later stages. While there is minimal loss of joint mobility in the first stages, joint mobility decreases significantly in advanced stages.
It is generally examined in 4 phases;
-Stage 1: It is the initial stage. There may be slight damage to the cartilage tissue. There is no obvious joint narrowing. Since there is minimal damage in the x-ray to be taken, no random finding is encountered.
-Stage 2: Slight damage has begun. Thinning of the cartilage tissue has begun. Osteophyte growth and minor damage can be seen on the X-ray.
-Stage 3: In this stage, cartilage damage has progressed and the space in the middle of 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 obvious. There is severe pain and a great limitation of movement in the joint. Often individuals have difficulty even in short distance walks.
PROTECTION METHODS
Of course, there are things we can do to protect your joint health without experiencing this discomfort;
-Being at your ideal weight: The more extra weight you put on your joints, the faster they will deform. That’s why you need to be at your ideal weight.
– Doing regular training: The more appropriate your muscle strength, the less the load on your joints and the less wear on your joints.
-Avoiding excessive use: We should definitely pay attention to rest periods while exercising or doing a job that will use our joints a lot.
-Posture analysis: Posture analysis has a very valuable position in the detection of incorrect loads on the joints. Thanks to the posture analysis, you can simply prevent your joint from being exposed to incorrect loads. You can consult your physiotherapist for a posture analysis.
