Osteoarthritis: A Common Cause ~ and Possible Prevention

Osteoarthritis has many causes.  Genetics, trauma, environmental, and chronic repetitive stresses have all been implicated.   Traumatic osteoarthritis is very common.  Researchers at MIT revealed in a recent study  that the medical community may be able to delay or prevent the onset of this debilitating disease with a steroid injection… IF it is administered within the first 24-48 hours following the injury.  This could prove to be a very pivotal study since so many people suffer from post traumatic osteoarthritis and the economic, societal and personal *costs* associated with it can be very high.    

Video Transcript: Lightly edited

Healthcare and Social Media: The Orthopedic Minute:

 Good morning I am Howard Luks and this is your Orthopedic Minute.

Osteoarthritis and a Recent Injury:

 There are many causes of osteoarthritis.  Osteoarthritis is the loss of cartilage or cushioning within your joints.  One of the major causes of osteoarthritis is trauma.  It could be from a fall, from a car accident or from simply hitting your knee very hard against an object.  What happens is the cartilage suffers an injury,  but because it has such a slow metabolism it can take years or even a decade for effects of the injury to *show itself*. 

Researchers at MIT have found that if we intervene within the first twenty four to forty eight hours with a *simple* steroid injection we may prevent the injury from resulting in damage to that cartilage and thus prevent the onset of post traumatic osteoarthritis — and thus a life long issue with pain and disability that usually accompanies arthritis. 

 Interesting study I am going to reference it above, take care, have a great day.

Perhaps the new strategy for treatment of a recent knee injury is RICES … Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and Steroid?  Hmmmm