High heel shoes contribute to damage to the cartilage
Published on: Monday, December 22, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: What many ladies out there are not aware of is that wearing high heel shoes contributes to damage to the cartilage in the knee leading to osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis.Basically, knee osteoarthritis is degeneration of the cartilage in the knee.Eighty per cent of knee-related problems are due to damage to the cartilage, and this is the Number One cause of knee pain.
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Damage to the cartilage can be caused by aging, an earlier injury that was not properly treated or sports injury. Knee joint injury must be treated quickly as it can lead to rapid degeneration of the cartilage if not treated at that particular time.All this was news to many women during the talk on bone and knee pain by chiropractor Dr Douglas Hawley of TAGS (Spine & Joint Specialists). It was organised by the Kota Kinabalu Widows Welfare Association (KKWWA) at the Senior Day Care Centre."The knee is a very important joint in our body. Aging is the predominant cause of degeneration of the cartilage. You lose the cartilage until it 'disappears' and results in a bone on bone condition, and that's what creates the pain."And what many don't know is that high heel shoes alter the way the knee functions. In fact, the knee takes the strain. Even squatting for that matter because when you squat, the cartilage in the knee is very much oppressed and this contributes to damage.
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"In addition, putting weight on the knee also causes damage as it is tantamount to putting weight on the cartilage," he pointed out while advising people to use a stool to facilitate bending when they are doing gardening.What many also do not know is that the more cartilage one loses, the more unlikely it is to be able to regenerate.
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"Seek early treatment," Dr Douglas advised, adding that the six symptoms of knee osteoarthritis are stiffness, pain, especially on one side of the knee, difficulty in squatting, reduced range of motion, pain arising from being seated and weakness.On the outcome of this medical condition, he said it affects one's quality of life with restricted mobility and inability to travel freely. "You can't live actively so to speak. You can't go out and play with your grandchildren," he quipped.There are four phases of degeneration of cartilage in the knee, according to the chiropractor.Phase 1: Characterised by restriction in the joint space where the symptom is stiffness of the knee.Phase 2: There is narrow joint space with pain and swelling.Phase 3: The bones are almost touching marked by pain and weakness.Phase 4: There is no joint space, resulting in disability."Once you are in Phase One, you may already have osteoarthritis," Dr Douglas cautioned. "Osteoarthritis (of the knee and hip) is the leading cause of disability among middle-aged and older adults."Explaining the three components to knee injury – biological, functional and biomechanical – the chiropractor stressed that all these conditions must be treated accordingly."In a biological injury, there is inflammation due to breakdown of cartilage while a functional injury relates to movement of the knee created by muscles. If the muscles become weak, knee function is reduced, so muscle function must be addressed." As for the biomechanical aspect of injury, Dr Douglas said corrective treatment is now available with the latest medical equipment in the world to create the space for the joint to heal."We have a two-year treatment programme involving the use of made-in-Sweden braces which unload the knee joint, and regular reviews. These are worn for eight hours a day. "In the meantime, take your dietary supplements – glucosamine sulfate in combination with Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) for pain control and decrease of physical function impairment. Glucosamine sulfate is a naturally occurring chemical found in the fluid around joints. MSM is an anti-inflammatory that controls inflammation and reduces the pain while the injury is healing."And in the process, cartilage regenerates and fills the space between the bones in the knee joint. After two years, the patient should be able to resume normal life," he assured. However, he said that as one gets older, glucosamine sulfate is less absorbed by the body.There are several treatment options for knee osteoarthritis such as injection (depend on gravity), acupuncture, painkillers and surgery (example, total knee replacement). "Let me make it clear, acupuncture is not a form of treatment but brings a lot of relief and improves blood supply to your knee," said Dr Douglas while warning that diabetes is a high risk for surgery.On the importance of exercise, the chiropractor recommended a 30-minute brisk walk or cycling which is good not just for cardio exercise (improving the lung capacity) but also for strengthening the knees. He also said crossing legs is not encouraged as it will hurt the knees, and for the same reason, we must avoid going uphill."Exercise is important to strengthen the muscles and loosen the joints. Go out and play with your grandchildren for fresh air. An active lifestyle helps a lot."At the talk, women also wanted to know what osteopenia is all about as they haven't heard of this term."Osteopenia is the beginning of osteoporosis but it's not general in nature. The scan may show little spots here and there, which indicate loss of density."Over time, all the little spots of low density will eventually generalise to become osteoporosis," he explained. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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