Arthritis
Introduction
Arthritis is an inflammatory condition, characterized commonly by aching, pain, swelling, and stiffness in one or more joints of your body. The symptoms of arthritis may develop suddenly or over time. Even though, the term ‘arthritis’ means ‘inflammation of the joints’, it also encompasses 200 different forms that affect joints and other connective tissues. Arthritis is usually common in the elderly people, aged 65 years. But, it can also occur in children and young people.
Arthritis is also considered as one of the major causes of work disability. According to a research article, published by the IOS press, more than 5% of all employment globally, which is approx. 9.8 million of people, between the age group of 18-64 years, experience some limitations in their work due to arthritis. Apart from it, it also limits the range of mobility, impacting the normal activities of daily life hugely.
There are many forms of arthritis, but the most common is Osteoarthritis. The other common types are rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and fibromyalgia.


Causes of Arthritis
Arthritis can occur due to various reasons:
Symptoms of Arthritis
The most common symptoms of any types of arthritis are:Risk Factors of Arthritis
The common factors which can increase the risk of developing arthritis are:Non-modifiable Risk Factors:
Modifiable Risk Factors:

Diagnosis
Investigations are done to establish the pathological diagnosis.Treatment of Arthritis
There are a number of treatment options available for arthritis, whether it is inflammatory, non-inflammatory or a gout arthritis. The prime focus of the arthritis treatment is to decrease the intensity of the pain and improve the quality of life. According to the American College of Rheumatology, arthritis treatment should involve following steps.
Medication:
Self-management of arthritis
Along with the medications/drugs, one should control arthritis by taking care of the following steps:Joint-friendly physical activity:
The patients with arthritis should get involved in some joint-friendly activities, which are not only effective for arthritis, but also for the cardiac health. A few of them are:Surgery:
When your pain or damage is very severe, and conservative treatments are not working anymore, your health care provider may recommend fsurgery to improve the symptoms and restore the mobility. Some of the popular surgical procedures used in arthritis are:
Joint Replacement (Arthroplasty)
Arthroplasty or joint replacement is the best option when you do not have the other choice. In this procedure, the surgeon will replace the damaged cartilage or bone with a plastic or metallic graft. The graft can also be taken from the other body part. Depending upon the condition, it can be partial or total joint replacement.
Arthroscopy:
With the help of this procedure, your surgeon can have a view of the joint. During the procedure, the surgeon will make a small incision, and insert a lighted tube along with a very small surgical instrument. Then, through this small cut, the surgeon removes out the damaged bone pieces, cartilage from the joint, swollen tissues, and smoothens the bone spurs or rough surfaces.
Joint fusion
Joint fusion is a procedure which is preferred when joint replacement fails. In this procedure, the joint is removed from the ends of the two bones, which connects them. The joints are then replaced with a screw, pins or plates to hold bones together. Gradually, the bones are fused with each other.
Osteotomy
Osteotomy is also known as joint reserving surgery. It is usually performed in younger patients with osteoarthritis. In this technique, a section or part of the bone is cut. The procedure is very effective in improving the joint stability and alignment.
Cortisone injections:
Corticosteroid injections can relieve joint pain. During this procedure, your doctor numbs the area around the joint, and then places a needle into space inside the joint and injects the medication. The number of cortisone injections can receive each year is limited because the drug can worsen joint damage over time.
Cartilage graft:
Normal healthy cartilage tissue can be taken from another part of the knee or a tissue bank to re-attach the articular cartilage of the knee. This procedure is usually considered for younger patients with small areas of cartilage damage.
Uni-compartmental knee replacement:
About 30 percent of people with osteoarthritis of the knee have a disease that is restricted to a joint area. In these cases, uni-compartmental knee replacement (also called partial knee replacement) can provide the same function and improvement as total knee replacement, but with less trauma and better range of motion.
Physiotherapy
Arthritis of the knee is a degenerative disease. Physiotherapy treatment is to improve symptoms of the disease (i.e., knee pain, swelling, stiffness). With physiotherapy, one may start noticing a positive difference in one or a few sessions of physiotherapy.

The main objectives of physiotherapy for knee arthritis are:
The knee braces and assistive devices
Your physiotherapist may recommend you to use a knee brace to support and help to de-load certain structures. There are many different styles of knee braces available. It is important to find the perfect one that suits your needs. You can take help from your expert in choosing that.
Assistive Devices
Assistive devices can help you in function and mobility. It includes canes, walkers, splints, orthopedic shoes, etc. But some elements such as knee braces and wedges shoes should be prescribed by a doctor and also should be equipped with a physical or occupational therapist.

Exercises
People with Osteoarthritis should do different kinds of exercise for different benefits to the body.
Quadriceps Setting
This exercise helps strengthen the quadriceps (the large muscle on the front of the thigh), which is an important stabilizer of the knee.
Lie on your back with your leg that you wish to exercise, straight. Place a small rolled towel under the knee. Slowly squeeze the muscle at the top of the thighs (quadriceps) and push the back of the knee down on the rolled towel. Hold the contraction for 5 seconds and then release slowly; resting 5 seconds between each contraction. Perform 4 sets of 10 repetitions, 1 time a day.
Straight leg raise
This exercise also helps to strengthen the quadriceps muscle.
Lie on your back with your leg straight that you wish to exercise. The other knee must bow to support your lower back. Tighten the muscle at the top of your thigh and lift the level of the other knee. Then lower it slowly. Perform 5 sets of 10 repetitions, 1 time a day.
Hamstring Stretch
When you have osteoarthritis of the knee, hamstrings (the muscles that run along the back of the thigh to knee) tend to be tight. This exercise helps to stretch the hamstring muscles, improve range of motion of the knee and helps you feel more flexible.
Lie on your back with the leg straight, with a strap around the bottom of your foot. With the help of the belt support, raise the leg until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of the knee and thigh. Hold for up to 30 seconds. Then lower it slowly. Repeat it 5 times and 1 time a day.
Gluteal Strengthening
This exercise will help strengthen the muscles of the buttocks (the large muscles in the back of the hip), control trunk, and also improve the stability and balance of the legs while standing up and walking.
Lie face down with your hips over a pillow to support your back. Keep the leg to be exercised straight, squeeze the gluteus and lift your leg slightly off the bed. Lower it slowly. Perform 4 sets of 10 repetitions, 1 time a day.
Calf Stretch
This exercise will help your leg and ankle remain flexible, and help to improve balance and gait.
Stand to face a wall with the leg extended behind you and the other leg in front. Place your hands or forearms on the wall for support. Slowly bend the knee, keeping the heel of the back leg on the ground. Once you feel a stretch in the calf muscles of the back of the ankle, hold for 30 seconds. Slowly relax. 5 reps 1 time per day.
Conclusion
Living with arthritis can be quite frustrating due to its impact on daily activities. Arthritis affects a large population but can be managed well by utilizing various treatment modalities. A proper management of arthritis can help in delaying a serious damage to your joints and also help you enjoy a better quality of life than otherwise.