Arthritis: Shun fear, undergo surgery, live healthy, actor Sulbha Deshpande

Arthritis: Shun fear, undergo surgery, live healthy, actor Sulbha Deshpande
Knee replacement surgery lease of life for arthritis patients
Chandigarh, March 20
“I writhe in pain for a decade, out of fear of undergoing knee replacement surgery for arthritis. After having undergone the procedure, at 74 now, I feel young again and climb stairs easily,” veteran actor Sulbha Despande shared this during the awareness talk on arthritis ‘Stand on your feet again’.
An initiative of State Bank of India Pensioner’s Association in collaboration with Railway Senior citizen Welfare Society, the talk aimed at creating awareness of leading healthy life post surgery as well as imparting youngsters tips to stay away for it whole life.
Sulbha developed osteoarthritis at age of 58. Painkillers and physiotherapy failed to show any results. The dilemma of undergoing surgery, which she now considers a waste, kept her away from healthy life. In 2003 she suffered a leg injury and was almost sure to live with pain throughout her life time.
“It was then my family doctor recommended undergoing knee replacement surgery and I haven’t looked back since then,” she said.
Talking at the occasion Dr Manuj Wadhwa (Fellow Ranawat Knee Foundation USA)
and Director Department of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement Fortis Hospital Mohali said that people above 50 years of age are more vulnerable to knee arthritis as compared to their younger counterparts.
“While the ailment strikes every three out of five people aged 65 and older, these days there are a number of youngsters too exhibiting its symptoms,” said concerned Dr Wadhwa.
He advised simple lifestyle changes for youngsters that ensures arthritis-free older age. “With young generation too showing signs of ailment, need of the hour are to draw strategy that ensures healthy and problem free lifestyle sans alcohol, sans smoking, sans junk food or fats and plenty of exercise. Prevention is better that cure,” he said.
Knee arthritis is common in overweight patients and weight loss tends to reduce symptoms associated with it as hips and knees worn out early in heavier patients. He felt that overweight elderly should emphasis on shedding few kilos and have freedom from arthritis pain.
Not only overweight, but genetic factors too play major role in incidences of the ailment. Knee arthritis tends to run in families besides trauma to knee, tears or ligament damage and fractures to bone around joint being some of other causes.
With introduction of latest tissue preserving total knee replacement surgery arthritis patients have ray of hope.
Dr Wadhwa told that this latest painless and blood less knee replacement surgery technique ensures swift recovery combined with benefits of minimally invasive surgery, patient specific implants with higher flexibility, modified pain control concepts and minimal bleeding to suit elderly.
He pointed that tissue preserving TKR surgery goes beyond conventional surgeries using smaller incision and special instruments to approach knee causing minimal trauma to soft tissues.
The specialized technique perfected by Dr Wadhwa allows advantage of surgical exposure in all patients including very obese with easy standard implants’ usage using specialized instrumentation.
At end Dr Wadhwa emphasized that osteoarthritis is very common, its progressive and it takes 10 - 15 years before surgery. So patient understanding can help modify disease and its progression. Timely consult with a specialist can help you win over the dreadful disease.