Health Hotline to focus on joint replacements

For people with arthritis who are considering knee- or hip-replacement surgery, a "pre-habilitation" regimen that includes nutrition counseling, physical therapy and medication can postpone or sometimes eliminate the need for a new joint.

That's the goal of a new program at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, designed to help people with arthritis deal with all the factors that contribute to their pain, rather than simply address one facet of the disease.

Arthritis is the subject of this month's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. During the free phone-in program, callers can speak with Dr. Lynn Rasmussen, an orthopedic surgeon, or Dale Aguirre, a physical therapist, who both work with arthritis patients in the hospital's Moves Program.

From the Salt Lake area, call 801-236-6061. Elsewhere, the toll-free number is 800-925-8177, only operational during hotline hours.

Though half of Americans will suffer at some point with osteoarthritis — a degenerative condition of the cartilage that cushions the joints — people who are overweight or obese are more likely candidates, as are those with a family history of the disease, Rasmussen said.

"Some people's cartilage holds up better and lasts longer over time. Those born with either congenital or developmental problems with the way bones and joints grow are more pre-disposed to having their joints wear out faster."

Joint trauma can also lead to developing arthritis, as can over-activity, though the benefits of remaining physically active usually balance out the risk of running or other strenuous physical activity, he said.

Lubrication within the joints is enhanced by physical activity, as is muscle tone that helps absorb the force that wears on joint stability. Those who remain physically active also avoid the additional strain on joints from being overweight or obese.

"Years ago, there was a feeling that overuse would cause the joints to wear out faster and a bit of prevailing thought at the time that people need to become less active so they didn't wear out as fast. But we've found as people became more sedentary, they put on more weight, and the combination of that weight and not having the muscles toned well enough to protect the joint, can predispose patients to arthritis," Rasmussen said.

Several studies have shown that overweight or obese arthritis patients who use the "quick fix" approach to deal with their pain by undergoing knee- or hip-replacement surgery without first changing their eating habits or exercise routine don't lose weight post-surgery simply because their joint pain is gone.