One of the most common health problems as our bodies age, is osteoarthritis – the wear-and-tear condition that causes stiff and achy joints, and may lead to pain which prevents physical activity.
Although it can occur at any time of life, and some individuals have a genetic predisposition to it, osteoarthritis usually affects people aged over 50. Once you hit 60, about half the population are affected in at least one joint, while virtually everyone over 80 suffers from osteoarthritis to some extent.
Sites of joint pain differ with the genders. Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis in their hands, knees, ankles, or feet, while men are more likely to develop it in their wrists, hips, or spine. Osteoarthritis does not usually affect the shoulder, wrist, elbow, jaw or ankle joints, unless as a result of unusual stress or previous injury. Seemingly minor joint injuries when we were youthful can be forgotten until age remembers the damage.
While shoulders have a ball-and-socket construction, and knees work more like door hinges, all joints have the same function – to connect one bone to another. Inside a joint, connective tissue called the ligament, serves as a bridge from one bone to the other via your muscles. There's also cartilage – a smooth, fibrous, somewhat elastic tissue that sits like a cushion between joints, and with the lubricant synovial fluid, acts as a shock absorber to prevent bones from grinding together.
Osteoarthritis appears when we start to lose that cushioning, and a number of factors contribute to the loss.
Our bodies naturally produce two key substances – glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin – to use as building blocks for rebuilding damaged cartilage. They also need supporting minerals like copper, manganese, zinc, selenium and boron to maintain joint health. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t always produce enough of the building blocks to keep up with cartilage breakdown – and our diet can sometimes be low in those essential minerals. Cartilage also thins as we age, which makes it easier to damage, and when its surface changes from smooth to rough, more cartilage erosion takes place.
There is no known cure for osteoarthritis, and common options to help reduce inflammation (which causes pain) and maintain joint movement include medication and surgery.
Over-the-counter and prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) do reduce inflammation and therefore relieve pain. However, used long-term, they can cause stomach upset, ringing in the ears, cardiovascular problems, bleeding, and liver and kidney damage. Unfortunately, older people are at highest risk of complications.
*See Tips to keep your joints healthy
Although it can occur at any time of life, and some individuals have a genetic predisposition to it, osteoarthritis usually affects people aged over 50. Once you hit 60, about half the population are affected in at least one joint, while virtually everyone over 80 suffers from osteoarthritis to some extent.
Sites of joint pain differ with the genders. Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis in their hands, knees, ankles, or feet, while men are more likely to develop it in their wrists, hips, or spine. Osteoarthritis does not usually affect the shoulder, wrist, elbow, jaw or ankle joints, unless as a result of unusual stress or previous injury. Seemingly minor joint injuries when we were youthful can be forgotten until age remembers the damage.
While shoulders have a ball-and-socket construction, and knees work more like door hinges, all joints have the same function – to connect one bone to another. Inside a joint, connective tissue called the ligament, serves as a bridge from one bone to the other via your muscles. There's also cartilage – a smooth, fibrous, somewhat elastic tissue that sits like a cushion between joints, and with the lubricant synovial fluid, acts as a shock absorber to prevent bones from grinding together.
Osteoarthritis appears when we start to lose that cushioning, and a number of factors contribute to the loss.
Our bodies naturally produce two key substances – glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin – to use as building blocks for rebuilding damaged cartilage. They also need supporting minerals like copper, manganese, zinc, selenium and boron to maintain joint health. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t always produce enough of the building blocks to keep up with cartilage breakdown – and our diet can sometimes be low in those essential minerals. Cartilage also thins as we age, which makes it easier to damage, and when its surface changes from smooth to rough, more cartilage erosion takes place.
There is no known cure for osteoarthritis, and common options to help reduce inflammation (which causes pain) and maintain joint movement include medication and surgery.
Over-the-counter and prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) do reduce inflammation and therefore relieve pain. However, used long-term, they can cause stomach upset, ringing in the ears, cardiovascular problems, bleeding, and liver and kidney damage. Unfortunately, older people are at highest risk of complications.
*See Tips to keep your joints healthy
Understanding our mortal “wear and tear"
One of the most common health problems as our bodies age, is osteoarthritis – the wear-and-tear condition that causes stiff and achy joints, and may lead to pain which prevents physical activity.