Common Orthopedic Disorder Problems and Preventions

Health conditions of skeleton, bones, ligaments, and tendons have a great impact on the quality of our lives. Thus, any kind of joint pain in the knee, shoulder, or carpal tunnel of a hand limits physical activity and social interaction. What can I say, injury of a finger complicates doing such ordinary things as cooking, brushing your teeth, and even holding a pen. That is why it is crucial to monitor your skeleton and muscles before it gets serious and you would need treatment or even surgery. Indeed, bones are one of the hardest and strongest body’s tissues, but the everyday improper physical activity, poor nutrition, aging, and traumas may lead to serious diagnosis and conditions. If you want to lead a healthy and active life without pain, make sure you do everything possible to care about the health of your skeleton, including regular visits to the hospital and specialty doctors. Preventing the disease is always better than treating it. In this article, you will read and learn more about how to prevent problems with the skeleton and muscles to lead a healthy and active life without pain.

The Main Facts about Common Orthopedic Disorders

• Approximately 1.71 billion people worldwide suffer from a musculoskeletal disorder like Lumbago, which affects 568 million people worldwide, accounts for the bulk of the burden of orthopedic diseases;
• Many orthopedic disorders are the leading factor of disability worldwide, and lumbago remains the leading cause of disability among these conditions in 160 countries.;
• They significantly limit mobility and motor skills, leading to premature termination of work, decreased level of health, and reduced opportunities for participation in social life;
• Due to the growing number and aging of the population, the number of people with orthopedic disorders is rapidly increasing;
• The burden of disability caused by orthopedic conditions continues to increase and is projected to continue in the coming decades.

The Magnitude of the Orthopedic Problems

There are more than 150 health disorders affecting the skeletomuscular system. They range from acute and short-term phenomena – fractures, sprains of ligaments and tendons, and dislocations of a knee, shoulder, elbow, hand, etc.- to lifelong disorders, accompanied by a permanent decrease in functionality and disability. Disorders of this kind are usually characterized by pain (often permanent), decreased mobility, deterioration of motor skills, and functional capabilities in general, which limits a person’s ability to work. Frequently, to get rid of a problem, the patient may need an appointment with a surgeon and surgery.

Orthopedics disorders include violations affecting:

• joints, in particular osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis;
• bone tissue, in particular, osteoporosis, osteopenia, and related fractures resulting from brittle bones or injuries;
• muscles, in particular, sarcopenia;
• the spine, in particular, lumbago and cervicalgia;
• various parts of the body or body systems, in particular, regional and common pain and inflammatory syndromes such as connective tissue diseases and vasculitis.

Besides, disorders of muscles and skeleton are the most important factor determining the global need for rehabilitation services and procedures. They are among the main reasons for the demand for such services for children, and about two-thirds of the adult population in need of rehabilitation treatments and surgeries are people suffering from disorders of the skeleton.

The Prevalence of Orthopedic Disorders

Information from a recent Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study indicates that approximately 1.71 billion people worldwide suffer from musculoskeletal conditions. Although the prevalence of problems of the musculoskeletal system varies by age and diagnosis, they affect people of all ages throughout the world. The populations of high-income countries are most severely affected by such conditions (441 million), followed by the Western Pacific Region (427 million) and the South-East Asia Region (369 million). Disorders of the skeleton also occupy a leading place among the factors of disability in the world: they account for approximately 149 million years of life lived with disabilities as a result of orthopedics conditions or injuries, which globally accounts for 17% of all years lived with disabilities due to various causes.

Lumbago accounts for the bulk of the total burden of orthopedics disorders. Other factors contributing to this burden include fractures (436 million), osteoarthritis (343 million), other injuries (305 million), cervicalgia (222 million), amputations (175 million), and rheumatoid arthritis (14 million people).

PREVENTION OF DISEASES OF THE MUSCULOUS-MOTOR SYSTEM

Osteoarthritis

The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases with years: after 45, the risk increases to 30% (compared with 2% of patients under 45). After 65 years, the percentage of patients with this disease is 87%.

Osteoporosis

It is a systemic disease that affects the skeleton, accompanied by a decrease in bone density and strength, which leads to an increased risk of broken limbs and other fractures, even with minimal trauma. Most often, osteoporosis occurs in women over 60 years old (in men – less often 4 times).

Inevitable:

• Age. After 45 years in men, it becomes one of the risk factors for the development of osteoarthritis.
• Sex. Women are several times more likely to develop osteoporosis and osteoarthritis than men, especially after menopause.
• Heredity. If your parents or close relatives are sick with osteoarthritis, then your risk of getting sick also increases several times.
• Dysplasia of bones and joints. Congenital conditions occur in 2-12% of the world’s population.

Preventable:

• Overweight. Obese patients in the vast majority of cases have problems with the knee and ankle joints. Also, weight for many years has a pressing effect on the bone apparatus, aggravating all problems and causing deformities, disorders in the spine.
• Systematic heavy physical activity. Heavy physical activity is one in which you spend most of the day on your foot, move actively, get very tired, lift or carry weights, and perform many tasks related to physical activity.
• Low physical activity. Just as excessive exercise is harmful, so insufficient physical activity is not useful for bones, which leads to atrophy of muscle tissue, and then bone.
• Professional sports. Those sports associated with chronic excessive load on the skeleton (including weightlifting, bodybuilding) several times increase the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis due to constant overload of the joints.
• Lack of dietary calcium intake. If you do not get enough calcium per day, it becomes a factor in developing man orthopedics problems of the musculoskeletal system. Since calcium is the main constituent of bone tissue,they are weakened and become more fragile.
• Smoking. Smoking increases the possibility of developing osteoporosis several times.

Prevention:

• Eat right. Make sure that all the necessary elements, vitamins, and minerals are present in your diet. If your diet is not rich in calcium and vitamin D, take vitamin complexes.
• Move more. Adequate physical exercise (at least 150 minutes per week) strengthens bones and develops muscles, which can significantly reduce the risk of developing diseases of the musculoskeletal system and provide decent muscle support for the spine and bones.
• Quit smoking. Since smoking leads to bone loss (osteoporosis), this factor is extremely strong in the general list of causes of disease development.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to a decrease in calcium absorption in the intestine and, therefore, to the development of osteoporosis and many orthopedic violations.
• Monitor your weight. Rid your skeleton from the excess weight of extra pounds. The main thing is to do it slowly and make sure that the number of calories is not reduced by foods rich in calcium.
• Reduce your daily physical activity (in case it is excessive). If possible, doze your physical activity, get enough rest, and make time for rehabilitation. Consider changing jobs.
• Seek medical help in a timely manner for injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Be sure to complete the treatment of injuries to the end, fully follow the doctor’s recommendations. Try to eliminate the factors that led to the injury from your life. Take your bone and joint problems seriously, follow your doctor’s orders, monitor your recovery, and take preventive measures that you can ask your doctor about.

Medical control

When monitoring the condition of the skeleton, it is very important to undergo medical examinations on time – especially if you are at risk or experience painful sensations in the spine, bones. Men over 70, women over 65 – densitometry (determination of bone density).

Final Word

Ou skeleton and muscles hold the frame of the whole body. They make us move, walk, work, and do all these wonderful things we do every day and actually feel this life. Despite the strength and endurance of our joints, ligaments, and tendons, they are fragile and vulnerable. To keep them healthy and perfectly performing their function, it is crucial to pay special attention to your healthcare, stay active (but within the norm), and make an appointment with the specialty doctor and visit the hospital immediately when you feel pain or any other disturbing condition. Do not endure pain. It may be a signal of some serious problems that may need immediate treatments.