What are some of the dangers specific to winter months as it pertains to joints?
We tend to be busy this time of year, especially with ice and snow. Falls are especially tough this time of year, especially on arthritic joints. Another thing that affects people, too, is that when it’s cold, we don’t move around as much and our joints stiffen up. Studies show that the more active we are, our joints feel better.
Can people actually "feel" cold weather coming in their joints?
So many people tell me it’s true – so the short answer is yes. I hear it all the time, but I joke that it’s not something they taught us in med school. It’s probably the changes in the weather, the actual barometric pressure changes that affect joint linings and nerve endings.
If someone is experiencing joint pain, at what point should he or she see a doctor?
Most people can make the distinction between aches and real pain. The thing to think about is, “is the pain changing quickly?” Is the pain something that is starting to affect your life and is ramping up?
Also, especially for knees, people sometimes experience a shift from soreness to a more “mechanical nature”, which may indicate a tear in the knee that may not heal and may need surgery.
If people feel unsafe, if someone’s arthritis worsens and they don’t feel comfortable walking around, it needs to be looked at.
Typically people with arthritis reach a point where it starts wearing them out and they can’t do things they want to do, so they come to see me.
What makes a person a candidate for hip or knee replacement vs other treatments (physical therapy, etc.)?
The shift to talking about joint replacement comes when things like taking anti-inflammatory medicines and injections don’t work and aren’t effective anymore, and people cannot perform their normal daily activities like they’d like. Typically, we’re also seeing changes on the x-ray that indicates bone on bone or near bone on bone findings. That means that cartilage is wearing down – I like to describe it as the tire is wearing down to the rim. When that’s happening, we start to talk about joint replacement. The last thing is age - most patients are 50 years are older. It’s not a hard line, but that’s typically when we see more patients interested in joint replacement.
How does having knee or hip replacement impact someone’s life?
It can be remarkable to do a procedure for someone and they walk back in and tell me they can do the things that really matter to me now. I can garden, I can go on trips, and I can play with my grandkids. I had a parent that told me they could walk their daughter down the aisle at her wedding. It really is a transition that takes them from something that was holding them back functionally and psychologically to get back and live their lives like they want to.
How can our listeners learn more about options to knee and/or hip pain?
There’s great information on our website advancedboneandjoint.com. We’ve got blogs and articles there.
Dr. Dane Glueck is an Orthopedic Surgeon at Advanced Bone and Joint. Dr. Glueck enjoys all areas of orthopedics with a special interest in treating knee problems.