From timesofindia.indiatimes.com
HYDERABAD: The joints are breaking down early, if the rising cases of arthritis among those aged below 40 in the past decade is any indication, with 3 out of 10 patients falling in the category. At an estimated 1 million cases, India is at number two on the arthritis world map.
Exercise, according to experts, is the best weapon even if there is some pain. Walking, swimming and cycling is recommended, while jogging, jumping, running and skipping are best avoided.
Earlier, it was either among those over 60-70 years due to wear and tear of joints (degenerative arthritis) or among a handful of younger population due to genetic causes (rheumatoid arthritis).
“But nowadays we are seeing young patients more frequently. It is primarily due to obesity. Also, lack of exercise leads to loss of muscle tone, which adds to pressure on the joints,” said Dr Sunil Dachepalli, senior consultant orthopaedic and joint replacement surgeon, Yashoda Hospital, adding that every patient should walk, cycle or swim.
The extent of exercise depends after how much time the pain is felt and resting time required for it to subside. If the pain lasts over over 30 minutes, it’s a cue that patient needs to do less. Irrespective of this, being active was important, experts said.
“Early diagnosis is key, but arthritis often receives delayed or no diagnosis. It is important to know the symptoms. If not treated appropriately, daily activities get affected, reducing quality of life,” said Dr C Kamaraj, senior arthroscopic surgeon, Kamineni Hospitals, adding that ‘movement is life’ in case of arthritis.
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