Arthritis technically
means progressive worsening of the functioning of a joint. Commonly seen in
people above the age of 50, many people encounter manifestations of arthritis
in some form or the other (due degeneration or age related wear and
tear). As a person ages, the cartilage present in between bones start to
thin, and its load bearing capacity decreases. This causes the entire load of
the body to get transferred onto the bone surface, just below the cartilage,
leading to the formation of osteophytes (also known as bone spurs).
The most common
symptoms of this condition is pain and swelling or stiffness of the knee. Joint
inflammations may occur because of poor shock absorption capacity and routine
activities that cause minor injuries to the knee joint. The pain could be dull,
severe, only in front, all around the knees, at the back of the knee, at the
side of the knee or along the thigh or calf. The pain could also be varying in
intensity with different activities – climbing up and down the stairs, sitting,
getting up, sitting cross legged, walking etc.
What makes a person
more susceptible to this condition?
Excess weight:
This leads to an earlier wear and tear and degeneration of the joint, due to
the excessive load the knees often have to bear.
Heredity: People
with a strong family history of osteo-arthritis face a greater chance of
developing it earlier in life. Also, this factor is seen to be a very common
cause for the onset of arthritis on women.
Injury: Previous
or intervening injury to the bones, cartilages, or the ligaments of the knee
predisposes a person to an earlier or graver forms of osteo-arthritis.
Poor muscle tone:
Existing osteo-arthritis can get worse when the muscles around the knee are not
strong enough.
How you can
tackle the disease: There are few factors that can make the symptoms of the
condition worse and therefore, getting these things under control can go a long
way in minimising the progression of the disease. Here are a few things you can
do.
·
Lose weight:
While this is far simpler said than done, you must understand that excessive weight
puts a great load on the joints leading to it’s further degradation.
·
Exercise
regularly: The surrounding muscles should be strengthened by means of adequate
exercises. This way there will be better shock absorption, which means lesser
chance of joint injury, inflammation and minimal or no symptoms.
People with
arthritic knee pain often suffer from severe bouts of pain, here are few handy
tips on tiding through these phases:
·
The knee should
be rested. An elastic knee cap should be used whenever there is swelling in the
joint.
·
Medication should
be strictly followed to relieve pain, swelling or spasms.
·
Short wave
diathermy (heat therapy), ultrasonics, local heat, local ice application etc.
should be used whenever needed.
·
Once the pain
settles, gentle movements and exercises should be done.
·
Strictly avoid
massaging the joint.
Asanas that help
during these stages
Yogendra
Nishpanda Bhav: Also known as the no-movement pose is a great way to relax, and
beat stress. It also helps beat pain and keep your joints away from any kind of
strain.
Steps to do this
pose:
·
Lean against a
wall, touching your head to the wall and sit in a relaxed manner with your legs
stretched in front of you
·
Keep a distance
of 2-3 feet between your legs
·
Place your hands
gently on your upper thighs with palms facing upwards
·
Listen to the
sound of any vehicle passing by at a distance
·
Sit in this
posture for 5 mins and focus on any distant sound
Savasana: Another
relaxing pose, this asana helps to clam the body. It also
helps in the recuperation of the muscles and joints after a lot of swelling and
pain. Here is how you can dosavasana or yog
nidra the right way.
Sukhasana: Also
known as the easy pose, sukhasana is meant to help your knee
regain flexibility and to beat pain. If you cannot bend your
knee, you can try doing this asana while sitting on a chair. Read more about
the steps to performsukhasana.
Hastapadangushtasana:
Also known as the extended hand to big toe pose, this asana helps strengthen
the muscles around the knees, therefore beating knee pain. It also helps
increase flexibility thereby reducing the chances of injury. For people with
arthritic knee pain, this asana should be performed as they lie down. Here is how to do the
hastapadangushtasana. in supine
pose
Yastikasana: Yastikasana or
the stick pose is a great asana that facilitates maximum stretching of the
body. It helps negate the ill effects of sitting in a bad posture for long
periods of time, relaxes tense abdominal and pelvic muscles, and offers rest
and relaxation, helping you beat fatigue and stress. For people with arthritis
this pose should be done with their ankle stretched upwards. Here is how you can do
this asana.
Asanas to be done
during phases when the pain and swelling is minimal
At such times you
can try to do simple asanas like padmasana,paryankasana, bhadrasana, ardhamatsyasana and konasana.
Tips to manage arthritis during the sub-acute and chronic
phases
Strengthen the
muscles
While the need
for medication becomes less, the need for exercises becomes paramount.
Stretching the muscles like the hamstrings and calf muscles, may be needed to
mobilize the joint and increase its flexibility. Exercises that can strengthen
quadriceps are also essential.
Treat the
symptoms
It is
important that the person suffering from osteo-arthritis know that it is
self-defeating to expect improvements their medical reports like an X-ray. The
truth is that as years progress the joints will degenerate. However, the silver
lining here is that this progression does not always correlate clinically. A
patient can lead an asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic active life despite
the osteo-arthritis. It needs to be well understood and accepted that there is
no cure for this condition.
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