We’ve all heard it before: “Stop cracking your knuckles or you’ll get arthritis.”
Though it’s used as a scare tactic to dissuade young children from developing the annoying habit, is there really any truth to this saying?
Dr. Keith Berend of Joint Implant Surgeons, Inc. addresses this myth and provides helpful information and advice on preventing arthritis, lessening joint pain and maintaining a healthy weight when joints are too sore for a proper exercise regimen. He also shares how lifestyle choices play a role in the development of arthritis.
What are some warning signs that you may develop arthritis later in life, or that you have already developed it? Are there any common symptoms that most people ignore?
The most common symptoms or warning signs of arthritis are pain and stiffness. The symptom I see ignored or diagnosed incorrectly is groin pain related to arthritis of the hip. Patients – especially active, younger patients – will frequently attribute the groin pain of arthritis of the hip to a hernia, so-called “sports-hernia,” groin pull or piriformis syndrome. Arthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a progressive disease that is not life-threatening, however, so ignoring the symptoms until they affect quality of life does not make things worse.
Arthritis is a result of several factors, such as genetics and lifestyle. How can you be proactive? Is it ever too early to see a doctor?
It’s never too early to see a physician when a patient has joint pain. But, unfortunately we do not have anything available that can change the natural history of the disease. The best way to be proactive is weight management, as obesity is strongly associated with severity of arthritis and severity of symptoms. Staying active with exercise, conditioning and low-impact sports is a great way to literally keep the joints moving, reduce the symptoms of degenerative joint disease and perhaps slow its progression or prevent it altogether.
Can your job increase your chance of developing arthritis, especially if you sit all day or do a lot of manual labor? What are the best ways to address this?
With the exception of an actual injury, I do not believe that arthritis is a result of one’s occupation. Sedentary jobs, however, can be associated with weight gain and reconditioning, so staying in shape and avoiding weight gain are important.
Many experts, such as Harvard Health, have disproven the rumor that cracking your joints can cause arthritis. If you do crack your joints, are there any repercussions?
Realistically, no. Simply cracking your knuckles does not cause damage. But if the old saying “it only hurts when I do this” applies, then “don’t do that anymore” may be true. If a certain repetitive motion causes pain, avoiding that motion is important, and an evaluation for painful popping or cracking related to pain is advised.
Healthful eating is recommended by all health professionals, but does it have any effect on those who suffer from arthritis? What foods are harmful? What foods help?
Multiple studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of sugar on not only metabolism and weight gain, but also joint pain. Limiting sugar intake, particularly processed foods that substitute sugar or corn syrup for fat, can have a positive effect on the symptoms of arthritis. As with most chronic diseases, a well-rounded diet with fruits and vegetables has a positive effect on the body. Some researchers recommend omega-3 fatty acids – fish oil – and calcium for helping symptoms of arthritis. This may or may not be directly beneficial, but these supplements can help overall well-being and are certainly worth trying.
Obesity is another cause of arthritis, but if individuals already have pain in their joints, it might be hard for them to exercise and maintain a healthy weight. What advice would you give someone in this situation?
This is the double-edged sword. Obesity is not as simple as calories in, calories out. I recommend low-impact activities for my patients with arthritis, regardless of weight. So swimming, water aerobics, elliptical machine, cycling, stationary bike or recumbent bike can burn calories. The problem is one of where the calories come from. In a recent documentary, Fed Up, the researchers give the example of almonds versus regular soda. If you eat 160 calories of almonds, it takes a long time to burn that off, and the fiber and fat in the almonds helps the body use those calories in a positive way. If you drink 160 calories from a can of soda, those calories are almost immediately burned by the liver, increasing insulin production and directly transferring calories into fat.
Are there ways people can lessen their joint pain without medicine?
Physical therapy, low-impact exercise, bracing and ice/heat are all conservative options for treating the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis
What’s the difference between arthritis that is manageable and arthritis that is more severe?
It boils down to the symptoms. A patient can have mild X-ray findings and terrible pain, or vice versa. The bottom line is managing symptoms to maintain quality of life.
Obviously, arthritis causes the body a great deal of pain, but can it have any emotional or mental repercussions?
Yes, chronic pain can have a deleterious effect on a patient’s mood and mental health. In addition, patients will frequently decrease their activity level to avoid pain. They find themselves not doing the things they enjoy because of the pain. Pain at night from the inflammation of arthritis can really disrupt a patient’s emotional well-being as well.
Are there areas of the body you are more likely to develop arthritis? What areas cause less concern?
Knees, hands, spine, hips and shoulders, in that order. Any symptomatic joint that causes a decrease in quality of life is concerning. It’s the effect the disease has on the quality of life that matters.
Are there any risk factors that people tend to overlook, or might not know about?
Obesity and injury are the two factors that are possible risks. Otherwise, the way we are made, our routine activities and our genes are to blame.
Dr. Keith Berend, a Columbus native, graduated from Upper Arlington High School in 1988. He received his undergraduate from Florida Southern College with honors and completed his medical doctorate and orthopedic residency at Duke University.
He joined Joint Implant Surgeons, Inc. in 2003 after completing a fellowship with the practice. The practice annually hosts more than 200 visiting national and international surgeons at its center.
Berend is the author of more than 130 articles published in peer-reviewed medical journals. He frequently presents his work at medical conferences, both domestically and internationally.
He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and Piedmont Orthopedic Societies.
He is also a member of the Knee Society and the Hip Society, the highest honor bestowed upon a surgeon with those respective specialties. In 2013, he received the award for Leaders in Total Joint Replacement: Generation Next initiative.
Berend has been named to the list of the Top 22 Knee Surgeons in North America.
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