Understanding, preventing, and managing osteoarthritis
COURIER LIFE, M M BR B G ARCH 15–21, 2019 67
The most common chronic condition
of the joints in both the
United States and Canada, osteoarthritis
affects roughly 30 million
people in just those two countries
alone.
While osteoarthritis can affect
people of all ages, it’s most common in
men and women over the age of 65. Understanding
osteoarthritis and how to
prevent and manage the disease can
help men and women over the age of 50
reduce their risk and live more comfortably
even if they develop it.
What is osteoarthritis?
According to the Arthritis Foundation,
healthy joints are covered by
cartilage, a fl exible connective tissue
that covers the end of each bone. Cartilage
facilitates motion of the joints and
serves as a cushion between the bones.
When a person has osteoarthritis,
cartilage breaks down, causing swelling
and pain and affecting the mobility
of the joint. Over time, it can worsen
and cause bones to break down and
develop bone spurs, which form when
bones meet each other in the joints.
Osteoarthritis can even advance to a
point where cartilage wears away and
bone rubs against bone, creating even
more pain while damaging the joints
even further.
What causes it?
Once considered a byproduct of the
wear and tear the human body naturally
endures over a lifetime, it is now
viewed as a disease, notes the Foundation.
The following are some potential
causes of osteoarthritis:
Genes: The Foundation notes that
certain genetic traits can increase a
person’s likelihood of developing osteoarthritis.
Collagen is a protein that
makes up cartilage, and, while rare, a
genetic defect that affects the body’s
production of cartilage can lead to osteoarthritis
occurring in people as
young as 20 years old. Researchers
have also noted that the gene FAAH is
more commonly found in people with
osteoarthritis of the knee than in people
who don’t have the disease. FAAH
has been previously linked with pain
sensitivity.
Weight: Being overweight increases
a person’s risk for a host of
ailments and diseases, and osteoarthritis
can be counted among them.
Extra weight puts additional pressure
on hips and joints, and over time
those extra pounds can cause cartilage
to break down more quickly than
it would if the body was not carrying
extra weight.
Injury: Men and women who have
suffered injuries to their joints may be
at greater risk of developing the disease
than those with no such injury
history.
Overuse: Overuse of joints, tendons,
and ligaments can accelerate
the breakdown of cartilage and increase
a person’s risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Cartilage also can break
down more quickly in the bodies of
athletes and people whose careers require
them to stand for extended periods
of time, bend over frequently or lift
heavy items.
Preexisting conditions: Conditions
such as rheumatoid arthritis,
hemochromatosis, and acromegaly
may also contribute to the development
of osteoarthritis among people
diagnosed with such disorders.
Prevention and
management
Men and women who maintain
healthy weights and exercise regularly
and appropriately may be able to
prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. Appropriate
exercises include strength
training that focuses on building muscles
around the joints, even if those
joints are already affected. Strong
muscles around the joints can reduce
the pain associated with the disease,
while range-of-motion exercises can
improve fl exibility of the joints and
reduce stiffness. Aerobic exercise
also helps men and women maintain
healthy weights.
Those already diagnosed with it
should speak with their physicians before
beginning an exercise regimen,
and such conversations can also include
discussions about the various
medications that can be used to reduce
symptoms of osteoarthritis.
You can fi nd more information
about osteoarthritis online at the website
www.arthritis.org.
Men and women who maintain healthy
weights and exercise regularly may be able
to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.
Wellness
Dr. Natalie Marks is the
first board-certified female
vascular medicine specialist
in Brooklyn, bringing a unique
perspective to this important
field of medicine.
She works as an integral
part of the vascular surgery
team of The Vascular Institute
of New York, which offers a full
spectrum of surgical and endovascular
methods for treatment
of vascular disorders,
working under the directorship
of world-renowned vascular
surgeon Dr. Enrico Ascher.
Dr. Marks is proud to be
part of the team.
“At the Vascular Institute
of New York, we strive to offer
each patient the most effective
and the least invasive diagnostic
and treatment options for
the management of their vascular
conditions,” she says.
Combining expertise, empathy,
and compassion, Dr.
Marks is able to provide her
patients with exceptional care,
treating issues such as varicose
veins, spider veins, nonhealing
wounds, peripheral
arterial disease, and more
with minimum invasive procedures.
“I am there for each patient,
every step of the way,”
she says.
She gladly discusses individual
cases with referring
physicians, and is available
to see patients in consultation,
actively participating in
perioperative care for those
undergoing various vascular
procedures. Together, the doctors
will evaluate all patients’
comorbidities, assess all risks,
and will make recommendations
for the most comprehensive
vascular care.
Like Dr. Ascher — who has
published more than 250 scientific
articles in medical journals,
and more than 65 textbook
chapters — Dr. Marks, too, is a
leader in the field. She has authored
more than 100 scientific
articles in peer-reviewed journals
and 16 textbook chapters.
She has lectured extensively
about various vascular topics,
sharing expertise with peers
around the globe.
“She brings a new dimension
in the care of patients
with vascular diseases,” says
Dr. Ascher. “She highlights
the importance of medical
management to avoid surgery
whenever possible.”
Dr. Marks is skilled in all
the latest techniques in dealing
with stroke prevention,
aneurysms, peripheral arterial
disease, and in caring for
patients with conditions that
cause leg pain and swelling.
Often leg swelling — a common
condition — is an indication
that veins are not working
properly.
The Vascular Institute of
New York is a leader in the
care of limb salvage, developing
pioneering techniques,
and saving limbs that others
thought couldn’t be saved.
The Vascular Institute of
New York is a state-of-the-art
facility, with an attractive office
and highly trained staff
of professionals. Some of the
highlights include on-site fully
accredited and federally certified
operating room, recovery
room, staff anesthesiologist,
intravascular ultrasound, and
a state-of-the-art wound care
center.
“Our team strives to offer
each patient the most effective
and the least invasive diagnostic
and treatment options
for the management of their
vascular conditions,” says Dr.
Marks. “We are committed to
providing patients with the
most up-to-date treatments for
vascular disease.”
Make an appointment today
. Vascular Institute of New
York 960 50th St. between
Ninth and 10th avenues in Borough
Park, (718) 438–3800 or
9920 Fourth Ave., suite 303,
between Third and Fourth
avenues in Bay Ridge. Open
Mondays – Fridays, 8 am–6
pm; Saturdays and Sundays,
8 am–1 pm. Most major insurance
plans are accepted.
BUS INES S , B ROOKLYN S T Y LE
Vascular Institute of New York making strides in Bklyn
/www.arthritis.org
/www.arthritis.org