Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora, who says that the loss of cartilage, popularly known as calcification, is not a sudden discomfort, warns women who are most at risk, those who constantly carry heavy loads due to their work, those who strain their joints by doing bodybuilding sports outside of instructor control and overweight individuals against shoulder calcification.
Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora warns to be careful against shoulder arthritis, which is common among the public.
It can be seen in everyone regardless of age
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital, who defines shoulder arthritis as the progressive loss of the corresponding surfaces of the cartilages in the joints that are heavily loaded on it, said, "There are situations in which we can and cannot intervene in how it disappears. Some hereditary diseases from the patient's genetics cannot be intervened. In fact, there are many reasons, but we can say that overweight, overuse, physical traumas, some metabolic diseases, abdominal fat, hyper blood pressure and high blood pressure are directly related to calcification. When some of these reasons come together in combination, the patient may face progressive cartilage loss and progressive loss of movement in the joints due to pain, whether or not the patient is under load. Although this problem is slightly more common in women, it can be seen at advanced ages regardless of age, as well as in young people."
Stating that cartilage loss has an insidious structure, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora said that this condition does not occur in a week, it spreads over a long period of time, except for certain situations that spread over years, and that patients usually apply to specialists when it becomes permanent, not after intermittent minor pain.
Those who cannot perceive pain are at risk
Stating that the shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora; "Leaving genetic factors aside, calcification occurs in a shorter time in those who overuse their shoulder and have difficulty in perceiving pain, which works like an early warning system in the body. The patient cannot protect the joint due to the inability to perceive the pain sufficiently, can perform very difficult extreme movements and can now recognize shoulder calcification in the period when intervention is required. Although the shoulder is not a load-bearing joint, it is rich in muscles and tendons around it and is the most mobile joint of the body. Therefore, in repetitive overuse and chronic micro-traumas, when muscle and tendon tears have difficulty in replacing the shoulder, the entire biomechanics of the shoulder deteriorates. As a result, this situation leads to calcification."
It seriously impairs quality of life
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora said that shoulder arthritis is different from knee and hip arthritis; "It starts with different mechanisms and all of them cause progressive movement limitation and pain in the joint as a result. The patient only applies to the physician when he sees that he cannot perform these simple and daily movements, but when we think of it in 4 stages, the stage they apply is at least 3, that is, it is approaching the last period because it is realized late."
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora states how shoulder arthritis impairs the quality of life with the following articles;
- The patient reaches a point,
- To take what he wanted to take from any shelf,
- To comb his hair, to do his personal hygiene,
- Lying on his shoulder,
- It simply prevents them from chopping vegetables in the kitchen, taking anything out of the fridge and lifting the kettle.
Those who play sports should seek expert support
Referring to the lines of work that lead to shoulder arthritis, Canbora said, "Shoulder arthritis is common especially in those who carry heavy loads overhead, those who perform these operations repetitively such as packaging, furniture makers and those who work with drilling machines in road construction works."
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora also gives important advice to individuals who are engaged in bodybuilding sports; "They should definitely get expert help and continue the sport by following their directives. While doing movements for certain muscle groups, some strain may be appropriate, but excessive strain brings some discomfort. In such patient groups, when we tell them that we need to take them to a physical therapy program, we encounter a reaction such as 'I already do sports'. Physical therapy is a separate branch and procedures are performed for certain muscle groups. In sports activities, repetitive small strains may be required to grow muscles, but there is a fine balance there, most muscles have a joint following them and excessive movements that disrupt the natural structure of those joints should not be made."
Diagnosis of the last stage is easier
Stating that they first ask patients about their age, activity level and pain level during the diagnostic phase, Canbora said, "After getting answers to these questions, we ask questions such as how is the quality of life, what movements do they have trouble doing, does it continue at rest, day and night. After confirming the limitation of movement with the examination, we perform a number of additional radiological examinations, especially X-rays. It is extremely easy to diagnose an end-stage joint calcification, but since it becomes a little more difficult to diagnose in the 2nd and 3rd stages, non-surgical methods should be applied in order and accompanied by an algorithm."
'Decreased fluid in the joint' is a common misconception!
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora continued his words as follows: "Although we are a surgical branch, we definitely apply non-surgical methods to patients under a certain age. While doing this, we try to help them live comfortably and comfortably by delaying the process, not preventing calcification. In addition to drug treatment, if there is arthritis in the shoulder, not carrying heavy loads overhead, avoiding repetitive activities that strain the shoulder will relatively reduce pain. Decreased fluid in the joint is a common misconception. Although fluid decreases with advancing age, the opposite occurs in arthritis. It is the elasticity of the joint that decreases in the calcified joint. In non-surgical methods, the discourse that 'we supplement this decreasing fluid' is very well established, but unfortunately this is not true."
PRP and stem cell therapy cannot be applied in stage 4
Stating that stem cell and prp applications are a very popular subject that has been researched for years, but these treatments cannot be applied in a shoulder arthritis that has reached the last stage, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora emphasizes that patients should be informed about postoperative complications. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kerem Canbora; "Physicians should definitely inform patients about complications. These complications can be minimized, the risks that arise as life continues are of course present in shoulder arthritis surgeries at certain rates. It is possible to avoid complications that may occur with measures such as losing weight, increasing protein intake, regulating blood sugar."