YOUR HEALTH
Secrets to Healthy Joints By Joseph C. Maroon, MD, FACS What if I were to ask you what part of our body contains the most joints? Most would say either the hands or feet, with the hands in fact having 29 joints each for most people. The fact is the spine with 24 vertebra and two joints each has more joints with a total of 48. As we become more active in the summer weather, joint pain, especially back pain, can be a major disability. For many, back pain is the most common cause of missed days of work other than the common cold.
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s a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon, I am continually advising my patients on how to maintain and improve their joints that make up the spine as well as all other joints in the body. Joints are where the bones that move meet, and in that space is a fluid-filled sac called the synovial sac. Within these sacs is a lubricating fluid. First, I determine their current level of activity. If the joint is active or moves, this fluid should remain plentiful within the sac. Exercise, such as walking and stretching, helps to maintain joint lubrication and improves joint movement. As we age, or with repetitive movement, joint injury can occur, and the joint can become stiff and inflamed due to less fluid lubrication. We of course know this as painful arthritis due to inflammatory factors, and this can lead to joint deformity and further reduced mobility. There are other causes of arthritic joint pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune causes. The most common cause is referred to as osteoarthritis. In this condition not only is there reduced joint fluid and pain with movement of the joint, there is also a loss of cartilage tissue between the joints and the development of bone spurs.
Prevention and Treatment of Joint Pain The first secret to better joint health is prevention. Your joints require a moderate amount of use each day. Walking 30 minutes and stretching and light weights or bands will generally be sufficient to help prevent more serious joint destruction. Also avoid joint overload by eliminating excessive weight (both what we lift and the weight we carry on our joints), and by avoiding overly repetitive movements. These stressors will accelerate joint decay and lead to joint pain and inflammation. Additionally, proper hydration will help to maintain adequate levels of synovial fluid levels. If joint pain does occur, there are numerous overthe-counter (OTC), prescription and dietary supplements available used to treat this condition. With over 46 million Americans diagnosed with arthritis, the market for joint pain supplements and medications is enormous. In my own practice, most patients with spine
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Spring 2022 | www.PittsburghFiftyFivePlus.com
pain are already on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory or “NSAID.” NSAIDs are available both as OTC and by prescription, but due to concern over stomach and bleeding side effects, especially with long term use, I encourage them to consider more natural alternatives. Up to 50% of users of NSAIDs will develop heartburn or other types of stomach pain. Almost all who take long-term older generation NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, will have evidence of mild stomach irritation and bleeding, and 8% to 20% more will have ulceration. In addition, 3% of those on NSAIDs will develop serious gastrointestinal side effects, which results in more than 100,000 hospitalizations and an estimated 16,500 deaths annually in the U.S. NSAIDs use is one of the most common causes of drug-related sickness and death reported to the FDA and other regulatory agencies around the world. Natural anti-inflammatory alternatives should be considered as a potential treatment alternative to reduce inflammation and generally with far fewer side effects. I personally recommend fish oil (Omega -3) supplements to all my patients with joint pain. In a study done using my own patients we showed a 60% reduction in joint pain using just omega-3 fish oil which resulted in about two-thirds of our patients being able to stop taking NSAIDs for their spine pain. I have used fish oil myself also with excellent results. I’ve been so impressed, I have even written a book about the benefits of omega-3, entitled, Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory. Remember, the greatest secret about maintaining joint health is that choices we make now, to preserve and treat joints properly, will have lifelong implications. So, start today. (Always ask you healthcare professional before taking a new medication or dietary supplement.) n
Joseph C. Maroon, MD is a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon, Nutritional and Sports Medicine Expert. Dr. Maroon has written and lectured extensively on brain health and healthy life choices. As a competitive Ironman triathlete, Dr. Maroon practices what he preaches and is committed to the promoting healthy choices to his patients and readers.