Looking for information?
If you are experiencing joint pain, have had a trauma/injury or are due to undergo hip or knee surgery, you are in the right place! Here you will find general information about anatomy, types of prostheses and pre- and post-operative tips. We hope it helps answer some of your questions, but remember, it’s always best to consult a specialist.
An informed patient is a patient with better results and better health!
HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Technological advances in recent years have enabled life expectancies to extend beyond what we ever imagined just years ago. However, this longevity should also be accompanied by improvements in QUALITY OF LIFE in order to fully enjoy it.
While there are multiple factors that impact quality of life, HEALTH is undoubtedly the most important one.
According to the WHO, osteoarthritis is the most significant cause of functional disability and affects 242 million people around the world, over 50% of the population over 60 years of age.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that causes joint cartilage to break down and is the primary cause of loss of function and joint mobility.
For many years it was thought that osteoarthritis was an inevitable part of ageing and physical wear and tear, but this is not true: it is a disease that is not exclusive to older age and anyone can suffer from it.
Prevalence of osteoarthritis in the Spanish population
(SOURCE: EPISER study 2016)
- Lumbar Osteoarthritis 16%
- Knee Osteoarthriti 14%
- Cervical Osteoarthritis 10%
- Hand Osteoarthritis 8%
- Hip Osteoarthritis 5%
Symptoms and treatment
Normally, osteoarthritis symptoms come on gradually and initially only affect one or a few joints.
Deep, intense pain is the first warning sign, and it tends to worsen with weight-bearing activities.
Some people report joint stiffness after a period of inactivity, which typically disappears 30 minutes after moving the joint.
Over time, osteoarthritis starts to cause more symptoms, joints lose mobility and ultimately lose the ability to fully extend and bend.
While osteoarthritis is a chronic disease, there are various therapeutic options to alleviate symptoms: pain medication, exercises, physical therapy and, in some cases, surgery.
Advice if you suffer from osteoarthritis:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is one of the causes of this disease and can make it progress faster.
- Do not self-medicate. There are medications to alleviate pain and even to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis, but your doctor should always be the one to decide what medications are the right ones for you.
- Exercise protects joints and increases muscle strength. Just avoid contact sports or excessive physical exertion.
- Watch out for posture habits. Try to sleep on a flat bed and sit properly with the knees and hips in a natural position, your back straight and your feet touching the floor. Also avoid overloading the joints.
- Apply heat/cold. Heat is normally most beneficial to osteoarthritis as it soothes and relaxes the muscles. However, the affected joint may experience an inflammatory flare, which is when local application of cold packs or cold baths can be useful.
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When pharmacological treatment is insufficient, pain is constant and activity becomes limited, surgery may be needed to implant a prosthesis in the affected joint.
Joint replacement surgery could also be an option to reduce pain, return to your normal activity level and regain your quality of life.
TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE
At Surgival, we have been developing and manufacturing surgical instruments and implants for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery for 30 years. Our systems, evaluated by specialised surgeons, are designed to facilitate the everyday work of trauma surgeons and their teams during surgery.
It makes us happy to think that every year we are returning movement and mobility to people so they can once again enjoy their previous lifestyles.
That is why we believe manufacturers, specialists and patients should come together for a better future
