If you’re struggling with the joint pain and inflammation that are the hallmarks of arthritis, you’re far from alone. In all of its many forms, arthritis affects more than 54 million adults in the United States, and this number is expected to jump considerably — to more than 78 million by 2040.
Driving much of this increase is osteoarthritis (OA), which is the most common form of the disease. And thanks in large part to OA, orthopedic surgeons perform nearly 800,000 knee replacements and 544,000 hip replacements in the US each year.
While most of our providers at New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine are board-certified orthopedic surgeons, we appreciate that many people want to put off knee replacement or hip replacement for as long as they can.
With that in mind, and because May is National Arthritis Awareness Month in the US, we think it’s good to go over five best practices that can improve your OA so you can hit the pause button on surgery.
Your joints contain protective tissues called cartilage that cover the bones to allow for smooth gliding. With OA, this tissue breaks down over time, allowing your bones to come into direct contact, and this friction can lead to joint pain and inflammation.
One of the best ways to reduce the friction between the bones in your joints is to strengthen the muscles that surround them. By beefing up the muscles, you take the pressure off of the bones, allowing the progressive wear and tear inside the joint to slow or even come to a halt.
Our team at New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine can work with you to design a good physical therapy program moving forward.
As you increase the supportive muscles inside your joint, we also want you to keep moving. Joints are designed to move, and this movement can keep them strong and well lubricated.
Think of your joints like metal parts that can rust if they’re static. With movement, your joints perform more like a well-oiled machine as resources keep flowing throughout your body.
A leading driver of OA is carrying too much weight, which places more pressure on your joints than they were designed to handle.
All 50 states in the US have obesity rates of 20% or more, which means millions of Americans could benefit from shedding some excess pounds. If you’re among them, you should know that one of the best ways to manage your OA and delay joint replacement surgery is through weight loss.
To support your joints and promote your overall health, nutrition matters. You want to avoid foods that promote inflammation in your body, such as sugars, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats.
Instead, focus on foods that fight inflammation, such as:
Shifting your diet to these foods will also go a long way toward healthy weight loss, if shedding extra pounds is also your goal.
As you navigate the world of a progressive and incurable condition like osteoarthritis, it’s important that you enlist the right medical team to help. While our physicians specialize in surgeries like joint replacement, we’re big proponents of finding more holistic solutions, too.
If you’re struggling with OA and you want to delay surgery for as long as possible, we can help with a tailored plan that promotes optimal joint health. Contact our office in New Braunfels, Texas, at 830-341-1386 or request an appointment online.
