{"id":985,"date":"2011-08-15T08:22:43","date_gmt":"2011-08-15T12:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/intentchopra\/?p=985"},"modified":"2011-08-12T11:38:39","modified_gmt":"2011-08-12T15:38:39","slug":"weekly-health-tip-take-a-load-off-your-knees-dealing-with-osteoarthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/intentchopra\/2011\/08\/weekly-health-tip-take-a-load-off-your-knees-dealing-with-osteoarthritis.html","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Health Tip: Take a Load Off Your Knees: Dealing with Osteoarthritis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Brought to you by\u00a0Deepak Chopra, MD,<\/a>Alexander\u00a0Tsiaras, and TheVisualMD.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Your knee joints are one of the unsung heroes of your body. If you\u2019re like the average American, you take just over\u00a05,000 steps a day<\/a>, and each one of those steps\u00a0places\u00a0a force equal to\u00a03-to-6\u00a0times your body weight<\/a>\u00a0on your knee joints. It\u2019s no wonder that by the time you reach\u00a0age 60<\/a>, chances are good you will have developed osteoarthritis of the knee, a sometimes-painful condition caused by wear and tear to the knee joint. More than\u00a020 million Americans<\/a>\u00a0currently have this condition, and that number is expected to soar\u00a0as high as\u00a070 million<\/a>\u00a0during the next two decades as baby boomers age and obesity, a major risk factor for the disease, increases. While many people with knee\u00a0osteoarthritis\u00a0never have symptoms<\/a>, others experience stiffness and dull pain, especially upon waking, or, in extreme cases, severe pain that limits their mobility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is\u00a0osteoarthritis?<\/strong>\u00a0In a healthy knee joint, a slippery tissue called cartilage fills the spaces between the bones and cushions\u00a0the bones\u00a0as they move.\u00a0Osteoarthritis\u00a0(OA)\u00a0occurs\u00a0when the cartilage wears away due to daily\u00a0use\u2014or overuse. The ends of the bones begin to rub against each other and often develop spurs and cysts. In addition, the tissue that lines the joint may become inflamed and the ligaments and muscles that support the joint weaken.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Most people who develop knee\u00a0OA\u00a0are over 45. The disease is more common among women than men, and having osteoporosis or a previous knee injury increases your risk. While\u00a0genetics<\/a>\u00a0plays a role in about 20-35% of cases, one of the biggest risk factors is something you can control\u2014your weight. Overweight women (defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25-28.9) have a\u00a0four times greater risk<\/a>\u00a0of knee osteoarthritis,\u00a0and overweight men (BMI 26-29.9) have five times the risk of normal-weight men.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Prevention and relief<\/strong>\u00a0There is no cure for osteoarthritis but there\u00a0are\u00a0steps you can take to reduce your chances of developing the disease and to manage the symptoms if you already have it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Control your weight<\/strong>\u00a0You\u00a0can greatly reduce your chances of developing knee\u00a0OA\u00a0by maintaining a normal weight or shedding at least some of any\u00a0excess\u00a0weight.\u00a0Losing even a few pounds can make a\u00a0big\u00a0difference in the load you place on your knees.\u00a0Recent studies<\/a>\u00a0have found that when overweight people with knee arthritis lost just one pound, it resulted in anywhere from a\u00a0twofold\u00a0to fourfold reduction in the load placed on their knee joints. One\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0estimated that losing 10 pounds would take 48,000 pounds of weight off the knee joint for every mile walked.\u00a0That, in turn, can reduce wear and tear on the cartilage and prevent\u00a0osteoarthritis\u00a0from developing. In fact,\u00a0losing 11 pounds over a 10-year period decreases the chances of developing\u00a0osteoarthritis of the knee\u00a0by 50%, according to one\u00a0recent\u00a0study<\/a>.\u00a0Losing weight can also help\u00a0reduce knee pain<\/a>\u00a0if you already have arthritis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If you are overweight, talk\u00a0to your doctor about a healthy weight loss program that includes\u00a0eating\u00a0lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein, and whole grains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Exercise<\/strong>\u00a0Regular, low-impact exercise will not only help you to lose weight, it can help prevent knee\u00a0OA\u00a0and manage symptoms in other ways. Often people who have\u00a0arthritis of the knee\u00a0cut back on their physical activity\u00a0to avoid\u00a0pain. But that\u2019s the worst thing you can do. It\u2019s critical to keep the knee joint mobile and flexible and to strengthen the muscles around it. You can do that by combining aerobic exercise with strengthening and flexibility exercises.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Aim for at least 30 minutes of low-impact aerobic exercise five days a week. Walking, biking, and golf are all good choices because they don\u2019t place stress on your knee joints. Exercising in water is also a great way to work out because the water supports your weight and gives your knees a break.\u00a0Studies<\/a>\u00a0show that water exercise such as swimming or water aerobics can be especially helpful in reducing pain and improving function in those who already have knee\u00a0OA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Exercises that strengthen the muscles around the knee and the quadriceps (thigh) muscle can help protect your knee joints and may actually help prevent\u00a0osteoarthritis. These exercises can also reduce pain and improve your mobility if you have arthritis. Try\u00a0isometric\u00a0exercises<\/a>\u00a0where you push or pull against resistance.\u00a0Stretching exercises like\u00a0yoga<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0tai chi<\/a>\u00a0can prevent and reduce stiffness in your knee joints.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have pain in your knees. You may need to begin by working with a physical therapist to learn how to strengthen the muscles around your knees in a safe way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Protect your joints<\/strong>\u00a0An injury to your knee can\u00a0alter\u00a0the alignment in the joint, and that can\u00a0make\u00a0the cartilage\u00a0wear away. So take precautions to avoid injuries to your knees if possible, especially if you do a lot of sports. If you do injure your knee, get immediate treatment to reduce your risk of damaging the cartilage. Wearing a knee brace may help support your knee and reduce pain if you already have arthritis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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4.\u00a0Pain relievers<\/strong>\u00a0Aspirin and other non-prescription pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen can reduce arthritis pain, but regular use can produce\u00a0serious side effects<\/a>. Talk to your doctor about\u00a0the\u00a0safe use of these pain relievers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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5. Other treatments<\/strong>\u00a0Glucosamine and chondroitin are two natural substances that are found in cartilage. Researchers have been studying whether or not they help relieve arthritis pain when taken as a dietary supplement.\u00a0Recent studies<\/a>\u00a0suggest that they don\u2019t help any more than a placebo, but some doctors suggest taking them for three months to see if there is any benefit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Some doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory gel to relieve pain or injections of\u00a0hyaluronic acid<\/a>\u00a0to lubricate the joint and act like a shock absorber. In very severe cases where other treatments do\u00a0not\u00a0provide relief, your doctor may recommend surgery to replace the knee joint.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The best treatment of all is prevention, of course, and the best way to prevent osteoarthritis is to keep your weight down and get in the habit of regular exercise. If you do develop\u00a0osteoarthritis, an early diagnosis can mean a better outcome, so see your doctor right away if you notice pain or swelling in your knee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Learn more about the benefits of exercise:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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TheVisualMD.com: Get\u00a0 Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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  Brought to you by\u00a0Deepak Chopra, MD,Alexander\u00a0Tsiaras, and TheVisualMD.com   Your knee joints are one of the unsung heroes of your body. If you\u2019re like the average American, you take just over\u00a05,000 steps a day, and each one of those steps\u00a0places\u00a0a force equal to\u00a03-to-6\u00a0times your body weight\u00a0on your knee joints. 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