Desi Today Magazine
Q: What is osteoporosis which is commonly termed as “GATHIYA” in punjabi. What happens and how to manage in short term and long term.
Physiotherapist: Gathiya in Punjabi is known as osteoarthritis in medical science where joint starts having degeneration slowly as the age progresses. we can also call ageing of the joint. it could be any joint which take the stress throughout life like hip, knees, ankle or shoulder. This mostly happens in weight bearing joints and appears in retirement age of life. Normally starts with mild crackles in the joint when moved with associated pain and/or stiffness in the morning.
Q: what exactly happens in the joint when diagnosed with osteoarthritis ?
Physiotherapist: The cartilage which looks like cushion between the bones of the joint starts having degeneration. It becomes thinner eventually and breaks down into small pieces with margins of the bones being broken down so patients will have reduced joint space in X rays and will mostly complains of pain in the joint margins in case of osteoarthritis of knee. Whenever weight is being transmitted through those broken or degenerated margins of the bone or cartilage, the pain comes and as the aging progresses, patients find more stiffness in the morning and reduction in active range of motion.
Q: What is the solution for osteoarthritis?
Physiotherapist: First solution in case of knee osteoarthritis is to reduce overall body weight to reduce the stress on the joint, stay active to prevent stiffness in the joint and consult a physiotherapist to find out how to reduce the stress on the joint and manage pain in day to day life. Water exercises are the best solution for patients with osteoarthritis and many public recreational centres here in BC offer the aqua exercises for seniors with nominal amount of fees.
Q: What is the long term management as the aging of the body and joint progresses.
Physiotherapist: The replacement of the joints are quite common now a days where orthopaedic surgeon would change the joints with metal joints and patients get new life for approximately 10 -15 years. This procedure has changed many lives in last 20 years as the pain goes away, patients tend to enjoy more activities and have overall more health benefits. The procedure has gone standardize now a days and patients get discharged in 3 days after operation normally and will follow 6 -8 weeks of rehabilitation with physiotherapist.
Mr Viral Trivedi who is the physiotherapist in the section today practices in Surrey and Burnaby. He is also a practitioner in Bear Creek Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic. He could be reached at clinic on 604 593 6131.
