4 ways to put off Joint Replacement
Tip #1: Lose weight
One of the most important ways to care for your joints is to stay at a healthy weight. For every extra pound you carry, you put about three pounds of additional pressure on your knees and multiply the pressure on your hips by six. If you have arthritis, losing just 15 pounds can cut your knee pain in half. If you do eventually need a joint replaced, losing weight beforehand can reduce your risk of having complications from surgery. Even if you have tender joints, you can still work out — as long as you stick with exercises that are gentle on your joints, such as swimming, walking, or riding a stationary bike.
Tip #2: Take care when using your joints
Poor posture and using the wrong techniques during your daily activities add more stress to damaged joints. By standing up straight instead of slouching you can protect the joints in your neck, hips, and knees. Also use the proper technique when lifting or carrying anything heavy. If any activity hurts, stop doing it right away.
Tip #3: Try nonsurgical approaches before turning to surgery
There are a number of ways to tackle joint pain other than replacing the joint itself. Treatment with steroid injections is one approach. Benefits can last anywhere from four to six months — however, it doesn’t work for everyone. Viscosupplementation involves injecting a lubricating fluid into damaged knee joints to treat osteoarthritis. Studies show this therapy doesn’t work any better than steroid injections. Yet it is another alternative for pain relief and mobility if other treatments haven’t worked or you can’t tolerate them.
Tip #4: Get pain relief
Instead of heading straight to your doctor to treat sore joints, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), or the prescription medicine celecoxib (Celebrex) — can relieve both joint inflammation and pain. Do talk with your doctor before deciding to use an over-the-counter NSAID. These drugs can cause side effects such as stomach upset, bleeding, and kidney and liver damage. Take them for the shortest possible time to relieve your discomfort. There is also some evidence that the dietary supplement glucosamine chondroitin can lead to subtle improvements in arthritis pain. “It doesn’t rebuild joints, but it does seem to help with the pain,” Dr. Martin says.
When to consider surgery
If you can’t escape from joint pain even while at rest, your pain is only relieved by narcotic medications, or your function is severely compromised, it’s time to consider a joint replacement. “I would stick with your own joint if you can, but if it’s physically, mentally, and emotionally wearing you down, then it’s time to go and have it done
