Arthritis in your 30s and 40? Prevention, and symptoms to watch out for

Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, from fingers, wrists and shoulders to toes, ankles, knees and hips. (Photo by Yan Krukau via Pexels)

You have a bone to pick with yourself. Those noisy knees, the niggling aches and twinges of pain you get suddenly when you get up or try to squat. Admit it, your joints are starting to protest now that you are easing into your 40s. Arthritis is a genetic reality and can enter your life as a silent, unwanted intrusion. Cue into what you need to know about your bone health to get cracking on the possible problem.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) impacts more than just your joints. Its chronic inflammation can degenerate the cartilage around the joints over the years, leading to joint deformity and painful swelling. It is usually of familial origin. Osteoarthritis (OA) causes degeneration of joint cartilage, making way for increasing stiffness, and often acute pain. This can be a result of certain deficiencies in your body, or also the result of poor lifestyle habits.

It can affect all joints, but is more commonly seen at the knee, hip, wrist, ankle and yes, even the thumb.

Sound effects

“The noise in your joints when you execute movement, spells a mechanical problem or disease activity within or around the area. Joint pain and stiffness are the symptoms of arthritis.  says Dr. Anup Khatri, senior consultant- orthopedics, Global Hospital, Parel, Mumbai.

Arthritis means “inflammation in the joints”. With poor lifestyles and inconsistent exercise patterns, arthritis is sneaking into our fabulous forties more and more. “Osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), is commonly seen in people belonging to the age group of 40s and above. It is very important for you to pay attention to your bone health as you age. Common symptoms of early arthritis include pain, redness, stiffness, heat, and swelling in the joints. The joints can also become very tender. If you experience fatigue, or fever due to the discomfort, consult a doctor immediately,” he says.

Do noisy joints indicate the beginning of arthritis?

“Crepitus, which manifests as knee cracking, is frequently noticed in the knees, but it can also occur in other joints, including the neck, shoulder, and elbow. Painful crepitus may indicate wear and tear or damage. Having a noisy knee does not necessarily mean the beginning of arthritis. Your knees can snap when you move due to the rubbing of cartilage on the joint surface or other soft tissues around the knee during joint movement. But if your knee makes a cracking sound every time you move it, and the movement is accompanied by pain, then consult a doctor. It could be the beginning of arthritis, or indicate an injury to the meniscus (rubbery cushion in the knee), or ligament,” says explains Dr Prithviraj Deshmukh, orthopedic Surgeon, orthobiologist and pain management specialist at Nexus Day Surgery Centre, Mumbai.

Why are women more susceptible than men?

Because women lose bone density as they move towards menopause, leaving their bones more brittle. “As you become older, your tendons become less elastic, which increases your chance of injury as well as stiffness and inflammation in adults over 40 which commonly leads to osteoarthritis of the knee,” explains Dr. Deshmukh. He outlines genetics, anatomical factors, and previous knee injuries as high-risk contributors towards the development of osteoarthritis. “Watch out for pain around the affected joints before and after movement, stiffness in joints on waking up or on being inactive for a while, increased tenderness, loss of flexibility, an uncomfortable grating sensation, irregular bony margins around the joint, and swelling,” he adds.

What to do, what not to do

Shed the flab and move out of the chub rut, if you wish to save your knees from carting around those extra kilos. Obesity, stress, smoking, drinking, and an unhealthy diet with little or no exercise can lead to arthritis. Even if you are thin, you can net in the health problem if your genes have the trait.

“Having a healthy lifestyle with nutrition-rich intake, either by supplements or natural sources, and regular exercise can help you to prevent the osteoarthritis. However, this will not heal the preexisting damage to the joint, if you have already started experiencing pain. The recent groundbreaking advance in the field of regenerative orthopaedics or interventional orthopaedics, also called orthobiologics, has brought in the concept of autologous conditioned plasma where almost three times more the concentration of platelet cells is harnessed to treat your mild to moderate grade of osteoarthritis of not just knee joint but any joint in the body including spine,” says Dr Deshmukh.

Should you take nutritional supplements?

Dr Deshmukh recommends starting with Vitamin D3 and calcium supplements to address the pain. “Usually, the symptoms are generalized bone pain in the whole body which might lead to osteoporosis – the brittle bone disease. Your symptoms could include poor sleep, bone ache, hair loss, weakness and loss of appetite and low immunity,” he says.

What are the dietary changes required to deal with the early onset arthritis?

“Eat a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and beans, but low in processed foods and saturated fat. The focus should be on whole grains, cereals, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines that are rich in omega 3. Berries, garlic, onions, green tea, olive oil, and leafy green vegetables help to reduce inflammation in the body due to their anti-inflammatory nature,” advises Dr Khatri.

Skip tobacco, alcohol, additives, sugar, and streamline hidden carb consumption.

Hydrate well by drinking enough water.

Black, green, white tea leaves are anti-inflammatory. Try switching to these if you drink milk tea.

Keep a regular check on your Vitamin D and calcium levels.

Practise yoga, swimming, or cycle every day.

Wear comfortable footwear, and avoid heels.