Osteoarthritis Research Paper

Words: 689
Pages: 3

Osteoarthritis
Description:
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Normally the cartilage in the joint is a firm, slippery tissue. The purpose of the cartilage in the joint is to allow the joint to move frictionless1. When the cartilage is unable to allow the joint to move frictionless, this is when the joint is considered to have osteoarthritis. The reason that the joint isn’t able to move frictionless is because the slick part of the cartilage becomes rough or the cartilage might wear down completely and then there is bone rubbing on bone2. Any joint in the body is capable of getting this disease but the most common joints are the hands, knees, hips and the spine.
Risk Factors: Many things can cause a person to develop osteoarthritis, some of them are modifiable and some are non-modifiable. Risk factors that are classified as non-modifiable are age; usually middle aged and over, Female are more prone to OA then men are. Genetics also play a factor in the
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Some of the things that should be addressed is strengthening the muscles that are found around the effected joint. The decreased range of motion and flexibility should also be addressed. Reducing pain should also be a concern of the therapist. One of the ways that this could be addressed is through modalities, such as heat therapy and cryotherapy. Heat therapy may alleviate the patient’s pain from stiffness and cryotherapy might take away the pain from muscle spasms and swelling. Another way that we can help the patient is educating them on weight loss and how it will benefit them, through it reducing the stress and strain that the added weight is putting on their joints. Assistive devices can also help the patient with reducing their stress on their joints. It is important that we educate the patients on the proper way to use the assistive device for them to gain the most benefits of