9/15/08 Researchers tracking knee pain in the population of a North Carolina county say the knee osteoarthritis risk is far higher than experts had known. The results of their latest study suggest that nearly 1 in 2 people will develop osteoarthritis in a knee before they reach the age of 85, with the risk approaching 2 in 3 for people who are overweight or obese.
By comparison, 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime and 1 in 3 men and 2 in 5 women will get diabetes in their lifetimes – making osteoarthritis of the knee more common than either of those ailments. (Read Arthritis Today's exclusive interview with the study's authors.)
“This indicates a higher risk of arthritis than has been appreciated before,” said John Hardin, M.D., a rheumatologist and Chief Scientific Officer of the Arthritis Foundation, a national volunteer health organization based in Atlanta. The study was published in the Sept. 15, 2008 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
“This is a very important knee osteoarthritis study. It is very well done, and I think it’s going to be one of the cornerstones of our discussions of arthritis in the future,” Dr. Hardin said.
For this analysis, a team of investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill followed more than 3,000 people living in six townships of Johnston County, N.C., for almost two decades. (Read about how the study was conducted and who the participants are.)
The knee osteoarthritis study participants were asked to answer a battery of interview questions and given a slew of medical tests, including X-rays of their hips, knees, spine and hands. Five to seven years later, they were asked to repeat the process. (Learn more about the study participants.)
After examining the baseline and follow-up data, researchers estimated that the risk of having symptoms of osteoarthritis in at least one knee by age 85 was 45.5 percent. Race, sex and education level seemed to have no effect on the risk of getting arthritis in a knee.
But risk escalated significantly with increasing body weight. Those who maintained a normal weight over the course of their lives had the lowest lifetime risk of any group in the study – 30 percent. Those who were normal weight at age 18, but overweight or obese at the start of the study (27 or more years prior) and at their follow-up exams, had the highest lifetime risk of knee osteoarthritis – 60 percent.
Meanwhile I have OA of toes, feet, ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers plus RA and 2 other types of arthritis.
Torn meniscus and injuries to my knees don't help. No one will do surgery of any kind because of heart and lung complications.
But the Synvisc type shots really help to ease the constant rest pain. I was told it would not help me to walk.
I use a scooter. An absolute godsend. It gives me independence that a wheelchair takes away.
Water aerobics are a great help, also. They make me feel better and I can walk in the water with minimal pain.
I am on Prednisone for inflamation and Hydroxy-chloroquine for RA and Tylenol forpain. I have had a shot of Tordol, but you can only have 3 of those ever. I took Darvon before it was pulled.I take Flexeril, too.
Good luck to you all. Life can be good despite everything,
BeckyO
Sincerely,
Eduardo D. Adviento
I have lifted weights, exercised and stretched every day for about four years as my PT taught me. Every 6 months. I go for Hyalgon injections. I have lost 25 pounds slowly, but permanently.
To all who need encouragement to learn to strengthen their legs and learn their limitations, find a good physical therapist. Without the daily exercise, my life is more painful. So sticking to it is easy.
There is a company in Australia that is conducting trials using your own adi fat stem cells.
Would rather have this ,than 2 artificial knees.? Any advise,? email kc.collins@bigpond.com
Why isn't more research being done with using your own stem cells to regrow cartilage?
Have osteoarthritis of rigth knee, left hip,
right hand and lumbar area.
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