In the following Joint Conversations interview hosted by the Sutter Health Novato Community Hospital Bone & Joint program, we learn about orthopedic surgeon Peter Callander, who specializes in hip & knee replacement surgery. Dr. Callander is the director of the Bone & Joint Program at the Novato Community Hospital and is also the company physician for the San Francisco Ballet.
One of the more common reasons for a joint replacement is arthritis. This type of arthritis occurs when cartilage in a joint has worn away, leaving bones to come in contact with each other and resulting in inflammation of the joint, pain, and stiffness. This specific type of joint inflammation or arthritis is called osteoarthritis and generally happens later on in life after a person has worn down the cartilage in their joint. However, osteoarthritis doesn’t always effect people in their later years. Genetic factors and joint trauma can cause osteoarthritis to affect younger.
To help prevent osteoarthritis there are several things that can be done:
- Reducing Weight – The more weight that a person carries, the more impact is put on their joints to support the weight.
- Maintaining a Balanced Diet – with calcium and Vitamin D to support healthy joints.
- Reducing Everyday Strain On Joints – Choosing low impact exercise or making changes to daily activities to help reduce repetitive stress on joints.
There are a number of different ways to manage pain associated with osteoarthritis. Tylenol can be used to treat minor aches and pains, anti-inflammatories such as Advil, Aleve, and Motrin can be used in the short term to help reduce joint inflammation, supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate may or may not help treat the pain, and joint replacement can be an option for reducing the pain associated with osteoarthritis after an evaluation by an orthopedic specialist.
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