Alarming osteoarthritis stats in India

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis in India, affecting over 15 million adults every year. One in two adults will develop symptoms of knee OA, while one in four adults will development symptoms of hip OA by the age 85 and one in 12 people above 60 years or older have hand OA. Although OA occurs in people of all ages, osteoarthritis is most common in people older than 65.

Common risk factors include increasing age, obesity, previous joint injury, overuse of the joint, weak thigh muscles, and genes. The symptoms of OA build gradually. The most common symptoms are pain and stiffness mostly felt particularly in the morning. Affected joints may swell, especially after extended activity. Some of the common symptoms include limited motion or stiffness, cracking sound when a joint bends, swelling around a joint or pain that gets worse after any physical activity.

Also called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints. OA can affect any joint, but it most often occurs in knees, hips, the lower back, neck and small joints of the fingers. Such diseases lead to complete disability of joints. If the pain is not relieved by medication or physiotherapy for long, a person may be bedridden in the end.

This is when surgery is advisable. Women are more prone to suffer from osteoarthritis because of weaker bone and muscle strength. But, according to the research, though the current solution for osteoarthritis is surgery, only 10 percent of the Indians undergo it due to fear of late recovery.

Over the last few decades, there have been dramatic advances in joint replacement. To meet the needs of today’s active patients, knee and hip implants have to be stronger and more flexible than ever before. Advanced materials such as oxidised zirconium can help create better performing, longer lasting implants.