ARTHRITIS GETS YOUNGER ...With even teenagers complaining of joint pains

ARTHRITIS GETS YOUNGER

...With even teenagers complaining of joint pains

    Arthritis has generally been associated with old age till date. But these days, people as young as a 15-year-old is complaining of it, says Chaitanya Shah, practising podiatrist and mobility consultant. “When was the last time you took your child to a doctor? It is usually when there is fever or a viral infection. Even in schools, there are eye and dental check-ups, but no school ever gets a podiatrist for check-up and problems like alignment of the body, balance of feet are ignored till they move upwards and manifest problems in the knee, hip and spine. Often, a two millimetre difference in leg lengths can be debilitating for the neck and can lead to severe pain in the knees, neck, back and hip joints.” 

 
WHAT IS PODIATRY
Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity, states Dr Govind Singh Bisht, podiatry specialist. It is almost unheard of in India, feel experts. When there is any mobility-related pain, parents usually consult a general physician and not a podiatrist and that is sad. “A little care of our feet could save lakhs in medical bills later,” says Shah.  

 

RIGHT FOOTWEAR AND CORRECT GAIT
There are 33 joints in our foot and our entire body weight is supported by it and, ideally, no area of the foot should take extra weight. Says Dr Bisht, “When there is uneven distribution of weight, and uneven displacement of pressure on our feet, we have problems like corns, callouses, ingrown toenails, knee pain and even back pain.” Sometimes, the problems caused by uneven distribution of pressure manifests after 20 years. However, not all these problems require interventions say specialists. Dr Bisht adds, “Just the right footwear, the correct gait and an ideal weight helps.” 

 
YOUNGSTERS NEED TO EXERCISE
Children lead inactive lives with almost zero physical activity, thanks to their internet, television and gadget addictions and that can cause arthritis in their mid twenties. “It is extremely important to exercise in order to control weight and maintain
muscle mass because the muscles support the bones and joint. When there is loss of muscle and increase in fat, a person will have joint and knee pains,” says Shah. Not just parents, but schools should be sensitised as well about the importance of mobility balance in children from a young age, say experts.
    “It is very important for children to go for biomechanics and gait analysis,” advises Dr Bisht. 

 
OBESITY AND KNEE PAIN
People in their 30-40s complain of knee pain these days. A BMI (Body Mass Index — a measurement made by comparing the height and weight of a person) of more than 32.5 makes the degeneration of joints and bones faster. Bariatric surgeon Dr Jayashree Todkar says, “We have treated patients who have undergone knee replacements which failed due to excess weight. Same knees could work well after a successful weight loss.” Dr Pradeep B Bhosale, consultant arthritis and joint replacement surgeon, adds, “Obese men are 15 times more likely to have torn knee cartilage and women in the same category are at 25 times more at risk.” 

 
POINTS TO PONDER Many a time, parents buy shoes that are a size larger for their children, to make it last longer. This practice can have a bad impact on the child’s bone health. Walking on hard surfaces can hamper bone health in the long run. People sometimes compromise on length-fitting of the footwear for width-fitting, which is a bad idea for foot and bone health. It is crucial to keep a check on the wear and tear of your footwear as worn out as well as wrong footwear can turn into serious threats for your foot health over a period of time.

Walking on hard surfaces can hamper bone health in the long run