World Arthritis Day Special: Not too old for this

Arthritis has traditionally been an ailment of the elderly around the ages of 60 and above. However, in recent times, even some young people in their 20s and 30s seem to be suffering from this health problem. Here's what you need to know about its causes, treatment and how can you safeguard yourself from developing it.Case in pointAnuya Sen (name changed), aged 30, complained of multiple joint pains. She experienced difficulty getting up in the morning and moving around for about six months. The pain was intermittent, occurring at irregular intervals. She would take pain killers, which would only provide her temporary relief. She sought professional help during which clinical diagnosis, tests and an MRI of the knee was done. It was revealed that she had inflammation in the joint and later an arthroscopy was done, recounts Dr Umesh Shetty, orthopedic surgeon, Aviva Hospitals.Types of arthritisArthritis can be categorised into two types: osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects a bigger bulk of elderly patients, generally above the age of 65. In this type of arthritis, the cartilage in the joints begins to wear out due to the aging process, especially the knee. On the other hand, in inflammatory arthritis, there occurs inflammation in various joints due to some dysfunction in the body. The cause is unknown. It can occur in any part of the body and at any age. Rheuamtoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Seronegative Spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. come under inflammatory arthritis.The young affected"In my practice, a bigger bulk of around 80 to 85 per cent of osteoarthritis cases comprise the elderly and young people in their 20s and 30s comprise the remaining 15 to 20 per cent. Some women in the 30 to 35 age group suffer from this. Unlike before, today it's not surprising to hear a person in his/her 40s undergoing knee replacement surgery," informs Dr Kaushal Malhan, senior orthopedic surgeon, Fortis Hospital. "Among the younger crop who get arthritis, are those who suffer from microfractures. This happens especially with sportsperson and individuals who are highly active individuals," says orthopedic surgeon Dr Nirad Vengsarkar.Indians at a disadvantageArthrirtis is a multifactorial ailment. Genetics is one reason (but a small percentage) and it decides the quality of tissues one possesses. Genetically speaking, Indians possess poorer quality of tissues to say in comparison with Germans who possess much superior quality of tissues. And so, osteoporosis is much higher among Indians, especially in males, informs Dr Malhan. Dr Vengsarkar says that Indians tend to have thinner legs and a bulky upper body, which tends to put pressure on the knees.Other causesObesity, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise are the major contributors for arthritis among young people. Other reasons include lack of healthy diet and pollution to some extent.TreatmentFor inflammatory arthritis, basic medications are prescribed. Whereas for osteoarthritis, vitamin supplements, collagen are prescribed along with medications. Lifestyle modifications is an important part of treatment. If one is obese, he/she needs to lose weight. The loss of one kg of weight, reduces the pressure on the knees by say three kgs, says Dr Vengsarkar.How to prevent its onset?Lifestyle modifications like eating healthy, maintaining normal weight and moderate exercise are the main things to be done. It's important to exercise if one leads a sedentary lifestyle. However, it's important to do it the right way. Only doing impact loading exercises like skipping, running are not good for the joints. Muscle strengthening exercises are also important. Doing stretching exercises for the various joints is an absolute key to prevent developing osteoafrthritis. For exmaple, touching yourtoes is one of the most common and beneficial exercises, advises Dr Malhan.lisa.antao@dnaindia.net