Osteoarthritis Care Measures

Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
Updated on September 15, 2024
00:00
00:00

Patients with arthritis should first pay attention to rest in daily life, keep warm, avoid cold and dampness, avoid excessive strain on the knee joints, try to minimize going up and down stairs, and reduce exercises that involve bending and bearing weight on the knee joints. Additionally, obese patients should pay attention to losing weight to avoid further wear and tear on the cartilage. In terms of diet, it is important to enhance nutrition, appropriately supplementing foods rich in high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamins, such as chicken, fish, milk, eggs, beans, vegetables, fruits, etc. It is also important to get more sun exposure and appropriately supplement vitamin D. These nursing measures are beneficial for the patient's condition.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
44sec home-news-image

Osteoarthritis complications

In clinical practice, there are many complications associated with osteoarthritis, mainly reflected in the following aspects. First, the presence of osteoarthritis causes the joints to exhibit obvious symptoms of swelling and pain. Often due to the pain and swelling, patients are reluctant to move, and prolonged inactivity can lead to joint stiffness and significant muscle atrophy in the affected areas. Second, osteoarthritis often leads to the extensive detachment of joint cartilage, making it easy for free bodies to form within the joint. Third, the presence of osteoarthritis may lead to the development of bursitis in patients. Fourth, osteoarthritis can also cause damage to the meniscus.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
1min 38sec home-news-image

Osteoarthritis exercise time

We say that all exercise must have a limit, and it should be within the patient’s tolerance. Walking exercises for osteoarthritis are permissible, but we do not advocate excessive exercise. Instead, it is best to focus primarily on rest. We say that life depends on movement, but joints rely on stillness. What does this mean? We do not advocate excessive activity in the joints. What is considered excessive activity? For example, if an osteoarthritis patient finishes a day of walking exercise and feels no pain, swelling, or discomfort in the joints, then the degree and amount of exercise they undertook are acceptable. However, if the patient finishes exercising and experiences significant pain, swelling, or discomfort in the joints by the evening, this indicates that the exercise was too much, and it was not suitable for them. They must rest and avoid such intense activities, indicating that walking exercises are not suitable. Thus, whether walking exercises are appropriate for patients with arthritis needs a balanced view, especially for patients in the acute phase of osteoarthritis. The mindset of exercising through the pain, regardless of discomfort, is absolutely incorrect. During the acute phase of osteoarthritis, we recommend resting as much as possible. During the remission phase of osteoarthritis, whether and how much walking exercise one should engage in also needs to be determined based on the severity of the patient’s condition and their subjective feelings. It cannot be generalized.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
42sec home-news-image

Is hot compress good for osteoarthritis?

For patients with osteoarthritis, hot compresses are very effective. Hot compresses can promote local blood circulation, which can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis. Usually, hot compresses are applied using hot water bottles, or by heating bran or salt, which are very effective. Typically, apply the hot compress twice a day, each time for more than half an hour. Additionally, aside from hot compresses, it is important to protect the affected area in patients with osteoarthritis, avoid exposure to cold, and reduce irritation to the area. When necessary, treatment may also need to be supplemented with medications, such as pain relievers and drugs that nourish the cartilage.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
39sec home-news-image

What foods are eaten for osteoarthritis?

First, it should be clear that food does not play a significant role in the treatment of osteoarthritis. It neither has particularly good effects nor particularly bad effects, so the goal should be to maintain a balanced diet. For some elderly men, it is important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and avoid being overweight. For elderly women, osteoarthritis patients often also suffer from osteoporosis; in such cases, it is necessary to pay attention to calcium supplementation in the diet to prevent osteoporosis. These measures are feasible, but relying on any specific food to treat osteoarthritis is not very realistic.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
54sec home-news-image

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease caused by degenerative changes in the joints. Symptoms primarily include swelling, pain, fluid accumulation, and restricted movement in the joint areas. In severe cases, it can even lead to joint deformity and dysfunction. Treatment for arthritis is mainly divided into non-surgical and surgical methods. Conservative treatment can be attempted first. Patients with arthritis should rest and avoid vigorous activities. Symptomatic treatment may include anti-inflammatory pain relievers, cartilage nutrition drugs, or intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. Additionally, hot compress physiotherapy and other methods can be used to alleviate symptoms. When conservative treatment is ineffective, or if there is deformity and dysfunction of the limbs, joint replacement surgery may also be considered.