Two of the most overused and overworked joint areas in the body are the knees and shoulders. And unfortunately, these powerful and essential joints can experience mild, moderate, or severe arthritis pain over time.
Arthritis in Knees
The knees are the strongest and largest joints in the body, but that certainly doesn’t make them immune to arthritis. Nearly 1 in 2 people develop arthritis of the knees by age 85 years, according to the CDC.1,2 Arthritis in the knees can limit daily activities, like walking and climbing stairs.
Arthritis in the knees is often categorized as osteoarthritis,3 rheumatoid arthritis,4 and post-traumatic arthritis.3,5 However, osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease, is the most common type of arthritis and it deteriorates the joint cartilage over time.3
Arthritis in Shoulders
There are many types of arthritis and other conditions that impact the joints in the shoulders. Osteoarthritis, for example, causes bone spurs to develop around the joints of the shoulder.3 This often happens after an injury. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the shoulders as well, and since this condition is symmetrical, it is often experienced in both shoulders.4
There are three bones in the shoulder and two joints, both of which can be affected by arthritis.6 The pain felt in the shoulders is caused by bone-on-bone contact, which also results in stiffness, sleeplessness, and an inability to do normal activities.
It’s important to do regular shoulder stretches to boost flexibility in the shoulder joints and strengthening exercises to build up the muscles around those joints.7 Low-impact aerobic workouts can also help blood flow to the shoulder joints in pain.8
Early Warning Signs of Arthritis in the Knees and Shoulders
These are some of the early warning signs and symptoms of arthritis in these frequently overused joints.9
- Inflammation
- Swelling
- Joint pain
- Loss of function and disability
- Tender and warm joints
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Limping
- Inability to lift things
Treatment for Knee and Shoulder Arthritis
Knee and shoulder arthritis are typically diagnosed by a clinical exam, X-rays, or a CT scan.3,4 Injections can offer a short-term benefit, and topical creams and medications can be recommended to dull the pain. Physical therapy is sometimes recommended for patients who have arthritis of the knees or shoulders. With a good rehabilitation plan, one can restore flexibility and range of motion to these areas. With knee arthritis, for example, it often involves exercises to strengthen the quadriceps, since strong muscles are needed to support the joints in this very active region.
Whether pain is centralized in the shoulders, knees, or both, JointFlex provides immediate and long-term relief from arthritis joint pain in an easy-to-apply topical formula that doesn’t have any burning sensation, lingering medicine smell, or greasy residue. If you are suffering from arthritis pain, try applying JointFlex to your shoulders and knees in the morning when you wake up and at night before going to bed to relieve the pain.
REFERENCES for ARTHRITIS PAIN in KNEES and SHOULDERS
1. Arthritis-related statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm.
2. The Johnston County osteoarthritis project: Arthritis & disability. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 21, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/funded_science/current/johnston_county.htm.
3. Kontzias, A. (2017 July). Osteoarthritis (OA). The Merck Manual. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/bone,-joint,-and-muscle-disorders/joint-disorders/osteoarthritis-oa.
4. Kontzias, A. (2017 July). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)The Merck Manual. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/bone,-joint,-and-muscle-disorders/joint-disorders/rheumatoid-arthritis-ra.
5. Punzi, L., Galozzi, P., Luisetto, R., Favero, M., Ramonda, R., Oliviero, F., & Scanu, A. (2016 September 6). Post-traumatic arthritis: overview on pathogenic mechanisms and role of inflammation. RMD Open: Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, 2, e000279. Retrieved October 18, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5013366/.
6. Bracilovic, A. (2011 December 2). What Is shoulder osteoarthritis (Glenohumeral arthritis)? Veritas Health. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.arthritis-health.com/types/osteoarthritis/what-shoulder-osteoarthritis.
7. Stretching to help arthritis pain. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/stretching-to-help-arthritis-pain.
8. Winters, C. 15 ways to work out with arthritis. Arthritis Association. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/workouts/other-activities/workouts-for-arthritis.php.
9. Signs of arthritis. The Arthritis Society. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/signs-of-arthritis.
10. Physical therapy for arthritis. Arthritis Foundation. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/other-therapies/what-is-physical-therapy.php.
11. Bracilovic, A. (2011 June 14). Knee strengthening exercises. Veritas Health. Retrieved October 21, 2018 from https://www.arthritis-health.com/types/osteoarthritis/what-shoulder-osteoarthritis.