Here’s how to tackle knee pain while on vacation

Summer heralds its own cheer, since it is vacation season. However, the elderly population in the country prefer not to join the fun, as most of them are prone to osteoarthritis and suffer excruciating knee pain.

An approximate 40 million Indians, most of them senior citizens, suffer from osteoarthritis.

Since osteoarthritis is turning out to be a huge holiday spoiler, experts from the city recommend ‘viscosupplementation’, an alternative therapy for osteoarthritis patients, before they plan their vacation.

“The process involves removing the diseased joint fluid and replacing it with a biological substance that mimics natural joint fluid. Commonly administered as a three-or-five-injection regimen, with recent advances, viscosupplementation is now available as a one-shot option. With a single injection in the knee joint, patients can avoid the stress related to repeated injections and experience reduced pain for over six months with minimal side-effects,” Dr HPC Khincha, consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, Sagar Hospitals, said.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the five leading causes of disability among elderly men and women.  It affects millions of Indians and is more commonly seen in women and people who are obese or those with previous knee injuries.

“Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in which the knee cartilage protecting the ends of the bones gradually deteriorates. Thereafter, the joint fluid — called synovial fluid — loses some of its natural shock-absorbing qualities. Bones may then begin to rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness and loss of movement in the joint,” Dr Hemanth Kalyan, orthopaedician, Ossicare and consultant orthopedic surgeon, Manipal Hospital, explained.

It is better to consult a doctor for the best possible treatment options, since the side effects of various medications are unknown to patients.

Besides the above treatments, staying dry, ensuring adequate sunlight, regular exercises and walks and consuming the right diet could do wonders for patients with osteoarthritis, Dr Kalyan added.

However, experts have a few words of caution for osteoarthritis patients including precautions such as avoiding excessive stress on the knees and climbing slopes and ramps while on holiday.

Patients are also advised to take physiotherapy sessions before leaving on holiday.