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PATIENT EDUCATION
Click here for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon's patient education pages for Dr. Bayless.
ARTHRITIS The Arthritis Foundation's definition of osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis (OS-tee-oh-are-THRY-tis) (OA) is one of the oldest and most common forms of arthritis. Known as the “wear-and-tear” kind of arthritis, OA is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. |
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Osteoarthritis is known by many different names, including degenerative joint disease, osteoarthrosis, hypertrophic arthritis and degenerative arthritis. Your doctor might choose to use one of these terms to better describe what is happening in your body, but for our purposes, we will refer to all of these as osteoarthritis.
It is thought that osteoarthritis dates back to ancient humans. Evidence of osteoarthritis has been found in ice-aged skeletons. Today, an estimated 27 million Americans live with OA. Despite the longevity and frequency of the disease, the cause is still not completely known and there is no cure. In fact, many different factors may play a role in whether or not you get OA, including age, obesity, injury or overuse and genetics. Your OA could be caused by any one or by a combination of any of these factors.
There are several stages of osteoarthritis:
- Cartilage loses elasticity and is more easily damaged by injury or use.
- Wear of cartilage causes changes to underlying bone. The bone thickens and cysts may occur under the cartilage. Bony growths, called spurs or osteophytes, develop near the end of the bone at the affected joint.
- Bits of bone or cartilage float loosely in the joint space.
- The joint lining, or the synovium, becomes inflamed due to cartilage breakdown causing cytokines (inflammation proteins) and enzymes that damage cartilage further.
Changes in the cartilage and bones of the joint can lead to pain, stiffness and use limitations. Deterioration of cartilage can:
- Affect the shape and makeup of the joint so it doesn’t function smoothly. This can mean that you limp when you walk or have trouble going up and down stairs.
- Cause fragments of bone and cartilage to float in joint fluid causing irritation and pain.
- Cause bony spurs, called osteophytes, to develop near the ends of bones
- Mean the joint fluid doesn’t have enough hyaluronan, which affects the joint’s ability to absorb shock.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
The carpal tunnel is a narrow, tunnel-like structure in the wrist. The bottom and sides of this tunnel are formed by wrist (carpal) bones. The top of the tunnel is covered by a strong band of connective tissue, called a ligament according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The median nerve travels from the forearm into the hand through this tunnel in the wrist. The tendons that bend the fingers and thumb also travel in this tunnel.
Carpal tunnel is caused by increased pressure on a nerve entering the hand through the confined space of the carpal tunnel. There are many causes of carpal tunnel.
- Heredity is the most important factor.
- Hand use over time can play a role.
- Repetitive motions of the hands or wrist; that is, when the same motion is repeated over and over again over a very long period of time.
- Hormonal changes related to pregnancy and menopause.
- Medical conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid gland imbalance.
In some cases of carpal tunnel, there is no known cause.
SHOULDER INJURIES
Most problems in the shoulder involve the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, rather than the bones. Athletes are especially susceptible to shoulder problems. In athletes, shoulder problems can develop slowly through repetitive, intensive training routines.
Some people will have a tendency to ignore the pain and "play through" a shoulder injury, which only aggravates the condition, and may possibly cause more problems. People also may underestimate the extent of their injury because steady pain, weakness in the arm, or limitation of joint motion will become almost second nature to them.
Orthopaedic surgeons group shoulder problems into the following categories.
Instability
Sometimes, one of the shoulder joints moves or is forced out of its normal position. This condition is called instability, and can result in a dislocation of one of the joints in the shoulder. Individuals suffering from an instability problem will experience pain when raising their arm. They also may feel as if their shoulder is slipping out of place.
Impingement
Impingement is caused by excessive rubbing of the shoulder muscles against the top part of the shoulder blade, called the acromion.
Impingement problems can occur during activities that require excessive overhead arm motion. Medical care should be sought immediately for inflammation in the shoulder because it could eventually lead to a more serious injury.
HIP INJURIES AND DISORDERS
Hip injuries and pain occur at many stages of life. Young hockey players experience overuse and flexing injuries based on their sport, while senior citizens experience hip pain and breaking of the bones in the joint due to weakness cased by wear and tear on the hip joint.
Click here for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon's patient education pages for Dr. Bayless.
