Health Guide©

OSTEOARTHRITIS

In a patient with osteoarthritis, nurses help promote adequate rest and assist him with physical therapy. If he needs surgery, preoperative and postoperative care is given.

Osteoarthritis results from degeneration of the joint cartilage that lines the ends of the bones. As the cartilage becomes weaker, it fragments, and bony and knobby spurs develop at the edges of the joint.

The joint becomes stiff and often painful. The syndrome is often compounded later by exercise limitation and disuse effects (detraining).

Prevention

Risk factors for osteoarthristis include obesity, inactivity and lack of exercise, and previous injury to the joint.

Your preventive strategy is, first, to keep fit. Exercise increases the strength of the bones and the stability of the supporting ligaments and tendons.

Exercise nourishes the joint cartilage by bringing nutrients to the cartilage and removing waste products.

Regular, gently graded, permanent exercise programs are required. Second, control your weight. Being overweight also puts additional stress on the feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back.Third, protect your joints.

Listen to the pain messages that your body sends and perform activities in the least stressful way.

Be particularly careful with joints that were injured earlier in your life because these joints are at greatest risk.