osteoarthritis and principles of management Flashcards
What is osteoarthritis
destruction of a joint
Does articular surface regenerate
No so if it is damaged, the bones start to grate against one another
What is the most common joint affected by osteoarthritis
base of the thumb
What is definition of arthritis
Tear, flare and repair
Tear - Trauma
Flair - inflammation and pain
Repair - response to flair and tear to stiffen the joint and produce extra bone around the joint
What are common causes of osteoarthritis
Intra-articular fracture - damage to articular surface which causes bones to grind against each other
Ligament rupture
Meniscal injury
Occupation - farmers, football players - constantly getting injuries
Heavy lifting
Elite running
Obesity - progresses symptoms but does not cause osteoarthritis
What happens during flare
The synovial tissue hypertrophies - produces more synovial fluid - bone responds by changing appearance on X-ray
How is osteoarthritis diagnosed
Over 45 years old
Activity related joint pain plus no morning stiffness or morning stiffness that is less than 30 minutes long
What are non-pharmological treatments of osteoarthritis
Thermotherapy
electrotherapy
Aids and devices
Manual therapy
What are the pharmacological treatments for osteoarthritis
Oral analgesia - paracetamol
NSAIDs
Capsaicin - stimulates heat in the joint
What are the indications for surgery in osteoarthritis
Incapacitating pain which affects quality of life
Resistant to the non surgical treatment
