Extremity joint pain can effect several joints, including the shoulders, hips, knees, and other joints.  Arthritis of the extremity joints, most commonly osteoarthritis, is also called wear-and-tear arthritis or degenerative joint disease.  Joint pain from osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive wearing away of the cartilage of the joint.  As the protective cartilage is worn away by arthritis, bare bone is exposed within the joint causing pain, restricted motion, and possibly clicking in the joint.

Arthritis typically affects patients over 50 years of age.  It is more common in patients who are overweight, and weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with hip, knee, and ankle arthritis.  There is also a genetic predisposition to this condition, meaning arthritis tends to run in families.  Other factors that can contribute to developing arthritis include trauma to the joint, meniscus tears or ligament damage, and fractures to the bone around the joint.  Some of the risk factors that can cause arthritis and an increase in pain include:

Cartilage becomes more brittle with age and has less of a capacity to repair itself.  As people grow older they are more likely to develop arthritis.

 

Weight

Because joint damage is partly dependent on the load the joint has to support, excess body weight can lead to arthritis.  This is especially true of the hips and knees that can be worn quickly in heavier patients.

 

Previous Injury

Joint damage can cause irregularities in the normal smooth joint surface. Previous major injuries can be part of the cause of arthritis.

 

Occupational Hazards

Workers in some specific occupations seem to have a higher risk of developing arthritis than other jobs.  These are primarily high demand jobs such as assembly line workers and heavy construction.

 

Some High-Level Sports

It is difficult to determine how much sports participation contributes to development of arthritis.  Certainly, sports participation can lead to joint injury and subsequent arthritis.  However, the benefits of activity can sometimes outweigh any risk of arthritis.

 

Illness or Infection

People who experience a joint infection (septic joint), multiple episodes of gout, or other medical conditions, can develop arthritis of the joint.

 

Symptoms of Arthritis?

Arthritis symptoms tend to progress as the condition worsens.  What is interesting about arthritis is that symptoms do not always progress steadily with time.  Often patients report good months and bad months or symptoms that fluctuate with the weather.  This is important to understand because comparing the symptoms of arthritis on one particular day may not accurately represent the overall progression of the condition.

To accurately diagnose your arthritis and joint pain, the physicians specializing in joint pain treatment will do a detailed examination and any tests necessary to give you an accurate diagnosis.

The most common symptoms of extremity arthritis are:

• Pain with activities
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness of the joint
• Swelling of the joint
• Tenderness along the joint
• A feeling the joint may "give out"

There have been recent breakthroughs that effectively treat pain from arthritis and simultaneously prevent further arthritis from developing.  To learn how these treatments may benefit you, call us today to schedule a consultation with one of our board certified physicians.