From mercyone.org
Joint pain is a common complaint among people of all ages. A variety of factors cause joint pain, including wear and tear, injury and disease. Craig Mahoney, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Iowa Ortho and MercyOne physician lead, explores knee and hip pain and provides tips for managing discomfort and treatments to get you back to living your best life.
Arthritis and other causes of joint pain
Various factors contribute to joint pain, such as arthritis. Joint pain is when you experience aches or discomfort near your joints, like your knees, hips and elbows.
“But the location of pain doesn’t always coincide with an area of problem or the pathology,” says Dr. Mahoney. “You can feel pain in your knee, but the problem might originate from somewhere else in your body.”
Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain for older adults. Arthritis happens when the cartilage tissue around the joint wears down. As you age, this cartilage gets thinner and the joint can get narrower, which can cause more soreness. Sometimes, this narrowing happens faster, causing severe discomfort.
Other factors include:
- Broken bones.
- Labral (hip) injuries.
- Loss of bone tissue.
- Previous traumas.
- Sports injuries.
- Sprains.
- Tendinitis.
Let’s talk about knee pain
Knee pain can manifest in different ways. Symptoms can vary depending on the underlying causes. Common symptoms include:
Limited mobility.
Sharp or dull pain.
Stiffness.
Swelling.
Tenderness around knee.
“I’ve heard people say it’s like a toothache,” says Dr. Mahoney. “And that toothache pain can be associated with arthritis.”
Nerve vs. orthopaedic pain
Knowing what is causing your knee pain helps you know where best to get care.
“Burning pain with numbness and tingling is often associated with your nerve, while tenderness around the joint usually means you’ll want orthopedic care,” says Dr. Mahoney. “But bone is living tissues and has nerves in it. So, it’s important to talk with your provider and not try to self-diagnosis.”
Symptoms of hip pain
While hip pain can still come from wear and tear, genetics also play a role.
“We’ve been able to correlate people’s hip pain and hip arthritis to genetics and how we were positioned when babies in the uterus,” says Dr. Mahoney. “This can ultimately lead to our hips being shaped differently.”
Symptoms watch for include:
- Locking or catching.
- Pain in the front of hip or groin.
- Stiffness.
- Sudden and intense pain.
Heavy lifting, movement or vigorous activity can worsen hip discomfort.
How to know if your joint pain is serious
As you grow older, the wear and tear on your body causes aches and pangs. But you don’t have to suffer.
“When you’re changing your life to fit your arthritic pain, that’s a good time to go speak with your provider,” says Dr. Mahoney. “If you’re giving away an activity you want to keep, that’s probably the first sign.”
Other signs include:
- Change of shape.
- Loss of motion.
- Noisy joints: clicking, grinding or snapping sounds.
- Painful movement.
- Severe pain.
Treatments for knee and hip pain
While you cannot eliminate joint pain, you can manage knee and hip discomfort in a variety of different ways:
- Consider physical therapy.
- Do low impact exercises like walking, swimming, elliptical and biking.
- Improve your range of motion by stretching, especially before exercising.
- Reduce swelling and inflammation with topical anti-inflammatory medicines.
- Relieve stress on joints by maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Try over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines when appropriate.
- Use a warm compress before an activity and a cold compress after an activity.
- Consult with your provider about prescription medicines.
“The weight you carry on your upper body puts pressure on your knees and hips,” says Dr. Mahoney. “And the higher your body weight is, the higher the likelihood is for inflammation.”
Benefits of total joint replacement
Total joint replacement is a surgical option to treat severely damaged joints when nonoperative treatments haven’t worked. Total joint replacement swaps your damaged joint with a metal, plastic or ceramic device, which replicates the movement of a healthy joint.
“For most people, their life is better after joint replacement,” says Dr. Mahoney. “It has a meaningful impact on their life.”
Total joint replacement is more than a surgical procedure; it also requires lifestyle changes to maximize benefits.
“In many studies, weight has been tied to complications like infection or mechanical issues,” says Dr. Mahoney.
Lessen wear and tear of your joints
There are changes you can make to your daily life to protect and maintain healthy joints, the greatest being exercise. Benefits of exercise for your joints, include:
- Maintains muscle mass.
- Keeps your joint in control.
- Increases your metabolic activity.
- Improves your perception of pain.
“Exercise is the most valuable medicine,” says Dr. Mahoney. "Be realistic about your expectations. We have certain capabilities based on the mileage on our bodies.”
If you are experiencing joint pain or want to learn more about how to lessen your risk, talk with your primary care provider.
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