5 Common Orthopaedic Problems in Old People
Besides the weakening of the bones that takes place during old age, there are other problems that might surface. For example, your hip or back might become weak due to osteoporosis.
Arthritis in hands and fingers
Arthritis is a generalized term for inflammation and degeneration of the joints. The most common form, osteoarthritis, results from wear and tear of the joints occurring with age. It is called degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthrosis.
Much more common is rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of the joints.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist. The result is pain, tingling, numbness into the fingers.
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that has three main ligaments that hold it together. Osteoarthritis wears out these ligaments causing instability of the joint resulting in subluxation of the joint, i.e., dislocation of the joint backwards or forwards too easily.
It can also cause impingement of the tendons at the front edge of the shoulder joint due to abnormal bone growth up behind it. This is called rotator cuff tendonitis or subluxation of the shoulder at the front edge.
Degenerative joint disease and aging bones
Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is the medical term for the common problem of aging bones. DJD is not Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s; it’s not even osteoporosis (which is a separate disease). DJD is the general category for diseases of aging bones, with which most elderly people will be familiar.
What causes DJD? Why do our bones get weaker as we age? For a long time, no one knew. Probably no one was looking for an answer either. If you have a problem that only affects old people, who cares?
But now we know. Our bones get weaker because they lose calcium, and the reason they lose calcium is that something called osteoclasts remove it from them. Osteoclasts are specialized cells whose job is to remove material from the bone. To do its job well, an osteoclast needs to have strong connections to other parts of the skeleton so that it can exert leverage against them and remove large chunks of bone. But as a person gets older, those connections become weaker, and the cells start to malfunction.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve as it runs through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway formed by the bones of the wrist. The tunnel is made even smaller because it is filled with tendons, which are thick cords of tissue that attach muscles to bones.
Clenching your fist forces the tendons to squeeze together, making more pressure on the median nerve.
Carpal tunnel syndrome usually occurs in people who routinely perform activities that involve repetitive hand movements and gripping, such as playing instruments or typing.
If you have pain or tingling in your hand or fingers that does not go away, try wearing a splint at night. It will help move your wrist into a more comfortable position and allow fluids to flow more easily around your wrist.
Knee problems in older people
If you are older than 40, you may have started to experience joint pain, stiffness, and unexplained aches. You can take control of your joint health by exercising at our orthopaedic hospitals network.
The proximate reason for all this is simple: if your joints don’t move much, they stop moving at all. If you don’t walk, the tendons in your knees will lose their elasticity and their ability to recoil after being stretched — so they will sag and pull your knee out of alignment with every step. If you don’t use your muscles, they will become weak and atrophied; eventually, they can’t lift the weight of your body, and you lose the ability to do even basic things like climbing stairs or carrying groceries.
Joints wear out with use and age; muscles atrophy with disuse and age; ligaments stiffen with disuse and age; bone density decreases with age; and, above a certain age, every part of the body is more fragile than it once was.
Hip problems in older people
Hip problems in older people include:
·Fractures of the neck of the femur (the ball part of your thigh bone)
·Osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis)
·Avascular necrosis (disease of the blood vessels)
·Infection in a hip joint replacement
Hip fractures are caused by falls, which are more common in older people. Hip fractures can be life-threatening if a person is not treated quickly by a doctor. The hip area is a common site for blood clots to form after surgery, and hospital staff must watch out for signs of this problem.
Because osteoarthritis is very common in older people, it is important to have X-rays taken to look for other causes of pain besides this disease. In some cases, the person may get better with treatment for osteoarthritis. In other cases, surgery may be needed. An infection in a hip joint replacement can cause problems such as swelling or redness around the wound. The risk of infection after surgery is greatest during the first two weeks after the operation.
Conclusion
With an aging population, more people are suffering from orthopedic problems. According to the Orthopaedic Foundation of America, about 24 million Americans have osteoarthritis, another 10 million have rheumatoid arthritis and around 18 million have osteoporosis.
One of the most common orthopedic problems in old people is musculoskeletal pain. However, staying active can help to prevent these issues.
