As we age, it’s not uncommon for our hips and knees to start voicing their complaints. These hardworking joints have carried us through decades of movement — and they deserve a little extra care in our senior years.
Whether it’s arthritis, past injuries, or simple wear and tear, joint pain doesn’t have to sideline you from the activities you love.
Treatments are aimed at managing the wear and tear that happens to the cartilage in your hip and knee joints over time, says Dr. Kenneth Vaz, who practices orthopedic surgery at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney.
“Cartilage is a covering that sits on the bones within the joint and allows the bones to glide against each other smoothly,” he says. When the cartilage breaks down, the bones move against each other, which creates pain.
When a joint gets inflamed, it can really bother the lining inside, which then starts making extra fluid — and that can lead to more pain, he says.
Vaz says that carrying extra pounds can wear down the cartilage over time, just like injuries or trauma that throw the joint out of alignment.
“People used to think that high-impact activities like running could wear out your joints, but newer research suggests that’s probably not true,” Vaz says. “Even people who run regularly probably haven’t harmed their joints — in fact, staying active might have helped keep them healthy.”
Bursitis and tendonitis can also afflict the knees and hips. Bursitis is when the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints get irritated or inflamed, usually causing pain and swelling.
Tendonitis is when a tendon gets irritated or inflamed, usually from overuse, causing pain and stiffness in the joint.
“A direct injury, overuse or disuse can cause bursitis and tendonitis. Maybe you jumped into new activities a little too fast,” or you’re moving in a way that’s not quite body-friendly, he says.
The pain sometimes responds well to anti-inflammatory medication like Advil, Motrin and Aleve. Doctors can also inject steroids into the affected joints.
Specialists usually suggest starting with some rest, then gradually easing back into activity at a slow and steady pace, Vaz said. Those are the times when it’s probably reasonable to get an evaluation by either an orthopedic or sports medicine physician.
Physical therapy is an option, which is especially helpful for knee osteoarthritis, Vaz said. The physical therapist is there to evaluate and prescribe the right exercises.
“Regular activity that moves the joint, especially a low-impact activity, is a good way to help alleviate joint pain,” Vaz says. “There’s the adages that motion is lotion or use it or lose it.”
Patients opt for surgery when the pain keeps them up at night and they can’t participate in daily activities, he says.
In an elective surgery, doctors take out the damaged parts of the joint and replace them with an artificial one, usually made of metal and plastic, that can move smoothly without causing pain.
In short, hip or knee replacement is usually a last resort, but for many, it’s a life-changing one, Vaz says.
Hip and knee pain are common, but they don’t have to take over your life, Vaz says. With the right approach and a little support, you can keep moving, stay independent and continue doing the things you enjoy.