The ins and outs of joint and bone health

This week is World Bone and Joint Week which aims to highlight the need to prevent and manage conditions that affect musculoskeletal health.

Subsequently, ER24 is urging people to lead healthier lifestyles to protect their bones and joints.

The medical emergency giant said obesity, poor diet, smoking and a lack of exercise are risk factors that contribute to the development of joint and bone problems. They added that the most common condition affecting people is arthritis.

“Osteoarthritis develops as a result of damage to cartilage of the joint due to abnormal loading causing wear and tear (usually taking years to develop), whereas rheumatoid arthritis is a condition where a person’s own immune system causes damage to the cartilage. Septic arthritis is a condition where a person develops an infection in a joint, usually arising from another infective focus somewhere in the body. This is not too uncommon in young children and requires urgent attention,” Dr Vernon Wessels from ER24 said.

He added that another common inflammatory condition of the joints that affects adults is gout. Gout is what happens when there is increased uric acid causes crystals to be deposited in the joints causing damage and pain.

“This is often precipitated through certain foods and drinks like alcohol (especially beer), red meat (especially liver and kidneys) and certain seafood (like anchovies, herring, mackerel and mussels),” Wessels said.

“Cancers of the bone do occur. Fortunately, these conditions are not as common as the others mentioned. However, any abnormal growth or pain in bones, especially in children, should be seen to by a doctor,” He explained.

The most common symptoms associated with the majority of conditions is usually pain and stiffness or limited movement of the joint. “[T]here are specific symptoms that would point to a specific cause. For example, a warm, swollen painful joint is likely to be inflamed either through an infection as with septic arthritis or through another joint inflammatory condition like gout,”

Due to the various causes of joint and bone pain and many being easily treatable but have devastating consequences if left unchecked. It is preferable that people seek medical assistance with any new onset pain or stiffness in a joint that does not resolve fully within a short period of time (a day or two).

“The doctor may refer you for x-rays and possibly blood tests depending on the clinical finding during examination. For the majority of conditions, treatment is effective in the early stages,”

For most of the conditions previously mentioned, if the problem goes untreated, the function of the particular joint will be lost which can lead to other joints being affected.

How to prevent bone and joint conditions

Wessels said it is essential to have an active lifestyle with regular exercise – in moderation – to ensure that bones remain strong and healthy. He also suggests a balanced diet to ensure enough vitamins and minerals are taken in. “Some modern food and drinks can be harmful to bone formation, in particular fizzy drinks that contain phosphoric acid as this removes calcium from the body,” he said.

Wessels added that overstraining joints can also lead to damage. He said other than excessive exercise, obesity can put significant strain on joints which is why keeping a healthy weight can benefit joint in the long run. Other contributors, he said, is poor posture or poorly designed footwear.

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