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Bones & Joint PainJanuary 2010 your guide to Canada’s biggest ChroniC disease: MusCuloskeletal disorder
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
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2 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
bones & joint Pain
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 3
Moreover, when bones are se-
verely weakened by osteopo-
rosis, even simple movements
such as bending over to pick up a bag of
groceries and in some cases, sneezing or
coughing, can cause them to break. Osteo-
porosis has been called “the silent thief”
because one can be losing bone mass
without knowing it, even for a number of
years. there are no symptoms of osteopo-
rosis until you have a painful fracture—
most often of the spine, wrist or hip. Wrist
fractures are the most common, especially
in women under 75; spinal fractures often
go undetected; and hip fractures are the
most devastating, resulting in death in
about 20 per cent of cases. At least 40 per
cent of women older than 50 will suffer a
fracture in their lifetime.
if there are no symptoms, how do you
know if you are at risk for osteoporosis?
take a look at your risk factors. Some of
the major ones include:
• Being over 65
• A family history of a fragility or low-
trauma fracture (that’s a fracture that
happens as a result of a fall from stand-
ing height or less)
• Having a low-trauma fracture yourself
• taking glucocorticoid pills such as pred-
nisone continuously for three months
or more
• Having a medical condition (such as
celiac disease or Crohn’s disease) that
inhibits absorption of nutrients.
if you are over 50 and have one or more
of these risk factors, talk to your doctor
about having a bone mineral density
(BMd) test. this test is painless and non-
invasive, and the most accurate way to
determine your bone health.
Are there ways of reducing your risk of
osteoporosis? Yes—there are many ways
to help keep your bones healthy and give
you a long, active life:
• Make sure that you are getting ad-
equate calcium and vitamin d
• Limit coffee, cola beverages and some
energy drinks to no more than four
cups per day
• Limit alcoholic beverages to two a day
• if you smoke, ask your doctor about
how you can quit
• Make physical activity a part of your
daily routine, especially weight-bearing
exercises like walking or dancing
And if you are diagnosed with osteo-
porosis, there are several medications
available to treat the disease. Lifestyle
considerations, especially with respect to
the prevention of falls and the fractures
they cause, are also important.
Tips on fall prevention
• Clear your home of anything that may
cause a fall (i.e. scatter rugs, protruding
furniture).
• Wear low-heeled shoes for better
support.
• Watch for uneven ground, sidewalks
and floors.
• Keep stairs in good repair, with hand-
rails on both sides, free of clutter and
well lit.
• Studies suggest that certain medica-
tions may have side effects that can
increase the risk of falling (i.e. dizziness,
drowsiness). if you are on a combination
of medications with such side effects, it
is recommended that you speak with
your doctor and pharmacist.
• Wear ice grips on the soles of your
boots and remove them when entering
a store or mall as they can be slippery
on indoor surfaces.
• put an ice pick on your cane.
• Stay physically active. Muscle strength-
ening, balance training and walking are
effective in reducing falls.
the best defence against osteoporosis
is to build strong bones in childhood and
adolescence. Young women and young
men attain their peak bone mass at the
ages of 16 and 20, respectively, and thus
it’s crucial to maintain a bone-healthy diet
in our early years to prepare ourselves for
the bone deterioration that occurs later in
life. exercise and good nutrition (including
recommended amounts of calcium and vi-
tamin d) in youth are like a retirement plan
for your bones, so don’t turn your back on
osteoporosis. take measures to help you
and your family stay strong.
Osteoporosis Canada is the only na-
tional Canadian charity dedicated to
serving those living with or at risk of
osteoporosis. For more information or to
make a donation, visit our website at www.
osteoporosis.ca or call 1-800-463-6842.
CONTENTS 2 Let’sStartTalkingAboutArthritis
2 My206What…?
2 Don’tTurnYourBackOn
Osteoporosis!
3 ExtinguishTheFireOfRheumatoid
Arthritis
3 PutPatientsFirst
3 JointReplacementSurgeriesOn
TheRise
4 OsteoarthritisAndYou
5 ResearchersLeadingTheWay
AgainstChildhoodArthritis
6 SportsInjuriesFromASports
MedicinePerspective
6 Osteoarthritis
7 InnovativeTechnologiesInBoneAnd
JointBiomedicalEngineering
7 OrthopaedicResearchIsOnThe
Move
7 NutritionForHealthyBones&Joints
7 ForSeniors
BONESANDJOINTPAIN
Publisher: Darshan Thomas [email protected] 1 416 977 7100 x 112
Contributors: Laura Mann Angelique Berg Steven McNair Dr. James P. Waddell Sue Hunter Dr. Mike Lumbers Stacey Johnson Osteoporosis Canada
Designer: Carrie Reagh [email protected]
Photos: ©iStockphoto.com
For more information about supplements in the daily press, please contact: Gustav Aspegren, 1 416 977 7100 [email protected]
This section was written by Mediaplanet and did not involve National Post or Editorial Departments.
www.mediaplanet.com
There are many misconceptions
about arthritis. Until we set the
record straight by debunking
these common myths and raising aware-
ness of the devastating impact of arthritis
on our society, there won’t be a perceived
need to address one of the major health
challenges facing us.
Here are the hard facts about arthritis:
Arthritis is not just a disease of the
elderly. Arthritis does not discriminate
against age, physical condition or ethnic
background. Sixty per cent of Canadians
living with arthritis are under the age of
65. that means most people with this
disease face 20 to 40 years of struggling
with it. perhaps most surprisingly, one
out of every 1,000 children under 16 has
juvenile arthritis, a chronic disease that
severely impacts a child’s quality of life
and may cause disability.
Arthritis is not a single disease. in
fact, there are more than 100 types of
arthritis affecting more than four million
Canadians. Arthritis can be divided into
two main categories: inflammatory and
degenerative.
inflammatory arthritis is an autoim-
mune disorder where an individual’s im-
mune system “attacks” tissue in the lining
of the joints, causing inflammation, swell-
ing and pain. inflammatory arthritis af-
fects about 1 million Canadians; common
inflammatory types of arthritis include
rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis,
ankylosing spondylitis, gout, psoriatic
arthritis and lupus.
degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis,
is the most common type of this disease,
affecting over 3 million Canadians. it
occurs when cartilage (the tough elastic
material that covers and protects the
ends of bones) begins to wear away,
eventually resulting in pain, stiffness,
swelling and bone-on-bone movement
in the effected joint.
Because there are so many types of
arthritis, the causes of each disease are
often unknown. this poses a challenge
when it comes to treating the symptoms
of, and finding cures for, these debilitating
conditions.
Arthritis is not just aches and pains.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of
disability in Canada. the symptoms and
severity of the disease vary from person
to person and their disease type. Some
people with arthritis find their pain so in-
tense that they can barely get out of bed
or turn a door knob. if not diagnosed early
and aggressively treated, inflammatory
types of arthritis may cause permanent
joint damage and lead to disability.
Arthritis is very costly. Arthritis costs
more than $4.4 billion annually in health-
care expenses, with long-term disability
accounting for almost 80 per cent of
this total. Compared to those with other
chronic diseases, people with arthritis ex-
perience both more pain and contact with
health-care professionals. they report
twice as many disability days. Arthritis is
the cause of over 80 per cent of hip and
90 per cent of knee replacement surgeries
in Canada.
While the prevalence of arthritis is al-
ready too high, it’s predicted to get much
worse. By 2030, approximately 7 million,
or one in five Canadian adults, will be bat-
tling arthritis. Without a corresponding in-
crease in how much we invest in arthritis
research, our understanding of the under-
lying causes of the disease, and therefore
improved treatments and ultimate cures,
will remain beyond reach.
to put the problem in perspective: the
Canadian institutes of Health Research
spent only $19 million on arthritis-related
research in 2005-06—that works out to
about $4.30 for every Canadian with ar-
thritis. this investment is significantly less
than most other chronic diseases.
the fight against arthritis is strictly a
resource-based problem. it’s not beyond
our capacity to unlock the mysteries of
this terrible disease. When researchers
are provided with the necessary funding,
tremendous results are achieved.
Since its founding in 1948, the Arthritis
Society has served as a primary source of
funding for major developments in arthri-
tis care by investing more than $165 mil-
lion in innovative research and the career
development of rheumatologists. Some of
the most notable discoveries in this field
have originated in Canada. For example,
Canadian scientists have identified ge-
netic markers responsible for some forms
of arthritis that could lead to a method of
preventing the onset of this disease. As
well, a way to grow human cartilage in
the lab has been found. this development
holds out the promise of repairing joints
naturally rather than with the metal and
plastic replacements used in joint replace-
ment surgery.
With continued support, more break-
throughs are around the corner. Before
that can happen, we have to sit up and
take notice. Awareness of the toll arthri-
tis takes on us all continues to be our
single biggest challenge. Let the national
conversation begin. to learn more, visit
www.arthritis.ca.
Let’s Start Talking About ArthritisChances are you, a member of your family, a friend or a neighbour lives with the intense pain and disability caused by arthritis. Yet even though this chronic disease affects one in six adult Canadians, it goes largely unnoticed by the public.
BY: SteveN MCNAiR, pReSideNt ANd CeO OF tHe ARtHRitiS SOCietY
BY: ANgeLiqUe BeRg, pReSideNt & CeO CANAdiAN ORtHOpediC FOUNdAtiON
Like Joan, many Baby Boomers
are preparing for the retirement
they’ve pictured, and the Cana-
dian Orthopaedic Foundation hopes that
they’ve invested in their bone and joint
health, along with their RRSps.
“With tens of thousands requiring
orthopaedic surgery each year, our
education challenge is two-fold,” says dr.
Stewart Wright, toronto-based orthopae-
dic surgeon and chair of the Foundation’s
Medical & Scientific Review Committee.
“there is an immediate need to educate
patients toward their fullest recovery, and
longer-term, to educate the public on
prevention.”
the Canadian Orthopaedic Founda-
tion’s resources help patients play a
greater role in their health care. their
patient guidebook helps patients map
their way from family physician referral
through surgery and rehabilitation, and
includes questions to ask the surgeon, a
diary of progress and potential complica-
tions to watch for – things unknown until
surgery is needed. the Foundation’s free
peer support program, Ortho Connect,
connects new patients with trained vet-
eran patients for a real-world view of what
to expect.
the impact of shared experience is
something Ortho Connect volunteers like
Joan Cunnington see first-hand. “i share
my persistence with physiotherapy, which
helped me return to playing tennis. While
everyone will have different results, com-
mon to everyone is the hard work ahead.
patients have to play an active role to
capitalize on the surgeon’s skills.”
While major hospitals may have the
resources to offer comprehensive patient
support, not all communities are created
equal. “the Foundation’s resources are
nationally available to help all patients to
be active participants in their health care,
regardless of where they live,” says dr.
Wright. “decreasing the number of future
patients is equally important. Wait time
reduction efforts have spurred progress
toward bone and joint disorders being
seen as critical as cancer or cardiovascular
issues, but we still have a long way to go.”
Bone and joint disorders affect over
15 per cent of Canadians, outpacing our
aging population. As the most costly dis-
ease group in Canada, estimated at $18
billion per year, it’s known in the research
world what disproportionate invest-
ments – less than 2 per cent of all health
research funding – are made to research
in bone and joint health or disorders. At a
personal level, the costs of these disorders
are devastating in their advanced stages,
resulting in chronic pain, immobility, and
the inability to work and even live inde-
pendently, hitting people in or near their
retirement years.
demand for orthopaedic surgery is
skyrocketing. in 2005-2006, there were
nearly 70,000 hip and knee replacements
in Canada, a 10-year increase of 101 per
cent. these figures don’t include all the
other operations that orthopaedic sur-
geons regularly perform to treat such
conditions as complex fractures, sports in-
juries, chronic back pain and much more.
Because of a variety of factors including
an aging workforce, the number of or-
thopaedic surgeons practising in Canada
hasn’t kept pace with patient demand. the
Canadian Orthopaedic Association, which
represents practising surgeons, is looking
at strategies for recruiting students into
medicine and, ultimately, into orthopae-
dics; retaining newly trained surgeons
in Canada; and extending the careers of
surgeons on the edge of retirement.
there’s no quick fix to supply shortages,
which means many patients may wait
even longer for surgery. And a backlog at
the “treatment of last resort” encourages a
look at how to better maximize treatment
options earlier in the care path. Access to
them is sometimes a challenge, limited
by awareness, ability to pay for them, or
inconsistency in availability nationally. A
better job likely can be done of appro-
priately promoting and using existing
and new pharmacologic and biologic
medicines, physical therapy and exercise,
and disease self-management strate-
gies among others to address pain and
disability.
At the other end of the spectrum,
prevention education is a key solution to
reducing the number of future patients.
Market research commissioned by the
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation re-
veals that next to cancer, Canadians are
more concerned about back and joint
pain than they are about any other health
issue. despite these concerns, 78 per cent
see no need to even start worrying about
bone and joint health until they are adults.
“Not enough Canadians are aware of
how the risks of bone and joint disease
increase due to obesity, lack of exercise,
poor nutrition, and seemingly routine in-
juries,” says dr. Wright. “But before we can
educate the public, we need the research
to develop the education, and to drive
research funding, we need to elevate the
importance of this area of healthcare.”
Signs indicate that bone and joint
disorders are beginning to demand the
attention needed to enable Canadians to
live and move longer and stronger. With
206 bones in our bodies and the impor-
tant role they play throughout our lives,
it’s about time.
Ask someone to describe their retirement vision, and they’re likely to describe doing more of what they love—travel, golf, gardening, and if they’re like college teacher Joan Cunnington, playing tennis. “i played tennis all my life and i didn’t expect that to change anytime soon.” But change it did, at least for a year or two, when an arthritic knee necessitated a replacement.
Osteoporosis is more common than you might think. One in four Canadian women over 50, and at least one in eight Canadian men over 50, have osteoporosis. that’s almost two million Canadians who are dealing with a disease that can have serious consequences: bones that break too easily, leading to chronic pain, impaired mobility and a loss of independence.
BY: OSteOpOROSiS CANAdA
My 206 What …? awareness and education Key to Life-Long Mobility
there are no symptoms of
osteoporosis until you have a
painful fracture—most often of the spine, wrist or hip.
Steven McNair
Angelique Berg
Don’t Turn Your Back On Osteoporosis!
2 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 3
bones & joint Pain
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflam-
matory type of arthritis that
develops when an individual’s
own immune system attacks tissue in the
lining of the joints causing severe pain
and inflammation.
Catherine’s pain was excruciating. “it
would take me two hours to get ready for
work in the morning,” she recalls. “i could
barely grasp a comb to brush my hair. it felt
like i was i was moving barefoot across a
sea of knives when i made my way down
the stairs. By the time i arrived at work, i had
little energy left for the rest of the day. try-
ing to fight against pain is so exhausting.”
Rheumatoid arthritis affects approxi-
mately 300,000 Canadians. RA can have
a devastating impact on a person’s qual-
ity of life and result in permanent joint
damage. “Rheumatoid arthritis is like a
kitchen fire: you want to put it out as
quickly as possible before it burns down
the house,” explains dr. Andy thompson,
a rheumatologist and assistant professor
of medicine at the University of Western
Ontario. “putting out a fire requires that
you spot it before it spreads. With RA, an
early diagnosis and aggressive treatment
program can avoid irreversible joint dam-
age and potential disability.”
Catherine credits her ‘biologic’ medica-
tion and the Arthritis Society’s Arthritis
Self-Management program for changing
her life. this six-week program teaches
participants how to take a greater role in
controlling the impact of their arthritis.
“there are many steps i take that help me
get through most days largely pain-free,”
she says. “i make sure that i’m active. And i
stay in close contact with my doctors and
physiotherapists. Managing arthritis takes
a determined effort, but it can be done
and the payoff makes it worthwhile.”
to learn more about RA or services
available to people with arthritis, call the
Arthritis Society’s information Line at
1.800.321.1433 or visit www.arthritis.ca
Go to bayshore.ca to start enjoying the benefi ts of myNurse today – you may even win a relaxing trip for two to the Caribbean.
myNurse is brought to you by Bayshore Home Health, Canada’s largest provider of home and community health services.
Through the myNurse program, you now can arrange for regular monthly or quarterly home visits by a nurse. Friendly, relaxed visits where your nurse will be able to provide regular health assessments, monitoring and education.
It’s comfortable and convenient. Especially for elderly parents, as well as people of all ages who require special attention for their health – or who have diffi culty getting to their doctor. Most importantly, myNurse provides families with peace-of-mind – knowing the health of their loved one is being looked after. Getting started is easy. Simply call 1-877-289-3997.
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Your personal nurse can provide you with services such as:
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Real-world insight from real-world patients.To learn more or to jump right in
Call 1-800-461-3639 orVisit www.orthoconnect.org
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Need one reason to give?We’ll give you 206 – your bones, and the joints that connect them.
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BY: dR. MiKe LUMBeRS, pHd tHe ARtHRitiS SOCietY
Extinguish The Fire Of Rheumatoid ArthritisBefore being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 36, Catherine Hofstetter was a successful entrepreneur, sharing a happy life with her family and making future plans. Within weeks of her diagnosis, her life started to fall apart.
Furthermore, arthritis and related
conditions are currently at the very
top of Canada’s health care burden,
but only 1 per cent of medical research
funding is dedicated to this area.
“Faced with this situation, Abbott Can-
ada is looking to close the gap in patient
care by supporting, through unrestricted
grants, patient associations, fellowship
programs and studentships,” explains Jeff
devlin, president and general manager of
Abbott international, the pharmaceutical
division of Abbott Canada. there is an ur-
gent need for health care partners to work
together to find practical solutions for
enhanced patient diagnosis and disease
awareness. it is our responsibility to play
a leading role in key initiatives that have a
positive impact on patients.”
Since its inception in 2006, CiORA (Cana-
dian initiative for Outcomes in Rheumatol-
ogy Care) a grant program created by Ab-
bott Canada has already funded close to 20
projects in three key areas: earlier referral
to a rheumatologist, multidisciplinary care
for diagnosed patients and general aware-
ness of inflammatory arthritis.
For the second consecutive year, Ab-
bott will be the presenting Sponsor of the
power of Movement™ Yoga Challenge to
Beat Arthritis created by the Arthritis &
Autoimmunity Research Centre Founda-
tion. the event, which will be taking place
across the country on Sunday, March 7th,
raises money for critical arthritis research
in Canada. www.powerofmovement.com
“Abbott is committed to rheuma-
tologists in this country and since actions
speak louder than words, we are proud
to support and fund leading initiatives
that not only raise awareness but also
raise much needed research dollars,”
adds Mr. devlin.
Put Patients FirstCurrent statistics show that more than 4.5 million Cana-dians live with a form of arthritis or autoimmune disease, but there are only 300 rheumatologists available to these patients, which translates into a six to eight-month wait time for an appointment.
there are no symptoms of
osteoporosis until you have a
painful fracture—most often of the spine, wrist or hip.
According to the Canadian Joint
Replacement Registry data sup-
plied by the Canadian institutes
for Health information, the number of hip
and knee replacements in Canada have vir-
tually doubled from approximately 30,000
procedures in 1996-1997 to approximately
62,000 procedures in 2006-2007.
in addition to the increase in absolute
numbers, the average age of a patient re-
ceiving hip and knee replacement surgery
has declined slightly as younger patients
become eligible for joint replacement
surgery. the introduction of more durable
bearing materials, improved surgical tech-
nique and changes in implant design have
all contributed to a new confidence in hip
and knee replacement surgery among
younger patients and their physicians.
the exponential demand for hip and
knee replacement surgery has led to in-
creasing wait times for these procedures
and numerous strategies to decrease wait
times have been introduced in a number
of provinces. Bone and Joint Canada, a na-
tional organization representing care pro-
viders, government, hospital administra-
tors and patient advocates has developed
a national strategy to improve access to
care by developing educational materials
for patients and hospital personnel, im-
proving the efficiency of care delivery and
promoting effective pre-operative and
post-operative care to minimize patient
disability.
Hip and knee replacement surgery is a
world-wide success story for the treatment
of patients with severe hip and knee ar-
thritis. demand for this treatment will con-
tinue to grow for the foreseeable future
although some preventive measures may
slow the rate of growth over time. Bone
and Joint Canada is dedicated to improv-
ing access to care for patients with hip and
knee arthritis and ensuring the care they
receive is timely and of the highest quality.
BY: dR. JAMeS p. WAddeLL, Md, FRCSC
Joint Replacement Surgeries On The RiseHip and knee replacement surgery is increasingly common in Canada as the benefits of this procedure become better known to patients suffering from hip and knee arthritis.
4 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
bones & joint Pain
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 5
It occurs when cartilage, the material in
a joint that cushions the ends of bones,
breaks down. it’s estimated that 85
per cent of Canadians will be affected by
osteoarthritis by age 70. this condition is
a major cause of falls in the elderly, and it
can lead to loss of mobility and joint pain.
Osteoarthritis most often affects weight-
bearing joints such as the feet, knees, hips
or spine, but it can also affect the hands,
fi ngers or shoulders. there is no cure for
osteoarthritis and treatments usually work
to lessen pain and discomfort. Surprisingly,
people can have damaged joints from the
disease and experience no symptoms at all.
When symptoms are felt, they include
pain in or around a joint, stiffness or trouble
moving the joint or swelling in the area.
Osteoarthritis can be caused by repeated
overuse of, or previous injury to, a joint.
it can also result from the strain of carry-
ing excess weight. A recent study found
evidence that extra weight was a factor
in over 80 per cent of knee replacement
surgeries. Weakened muscles resulting
from inactivity may also put more stress on
joints and contribute to the development
of osteoarthritis.
Once osteoarthritis has developed,
and if a person has symptoms that are
interfering with daily activities, there are
several ways it can be treated. taking off
weight and strengthening muscles can
help, and over-the-counter drugs, such as
acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or stronger
prescription drugs can lessen the pain
and infl ammation. However, regular use
of these may cause problems such as side
effects or interactions with other drugs. if
drugs don’t work, steroid injections into
the joint can provide short-term relief.
Another option, specifi cally for osteo-
arthritis of the knee, is called viscosupple-
mentation. it involves injecting a thick fl uid
into the joint. in normal joints, cartilage acts
as a shock absorber and synovial fl uid “oils”
the joints. in people with osteoarthritis, the
cartilage has broken down and their joint
fluid has become thinner. viscosupple-
mentation can help lubricate damaged
joints. “viscosupplementation can be very
helpful,” says dr. Wayne Marshall, assistant
professor of surgery at the University of
toronto. “if it works, it tends to work for
relatively long periods of time, typically at
least six months, often times a number of
years.” Studies show that up to 70 per cent
of patients with knee osteoarthritis could
see a benefi t from this procedure.
A much riskier and more invasive
option is joint replacement surgery. in
cases where pain and damage is extreme,
this surgery can cure the problem, but,
like any operation, it comes with risks of
serious complications.
Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects
different people in different ways. One in
10 Canadians have it, and many more of us
will experience it as we age. there are vari-
ous treatments to consider, and patients
need a treatment plan tailored to their
experience of the disease. the good news
is there are lots of options.
joint injury, joint pain and osteoarthritis
• Osteoarthritis• Joint Injuries and Joint Pain• Anatomy• Available Treatment Options
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Osteoarthritis And You BY: LAURA MANN
Chances are you know someone with osteoarthritis. they may not even know they have it. Arthritis is the term used for over 100 diseases and conditions that involve infl am-mation of the joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and the one most often seen in seniors.
osteoarthritis is a condition that affects different people in different ways. one in 10 Canadians have it, and
many more of us will experience it as we age. there are various treatments to consider, and patients need a
treatment plan tailored to their experience of the disease.
4 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 5
bones & joint Pain
“I used to like to ride horses,” recalls
Jessica, “but it was getting too
hard with the arthritis. i couldn’t
hold on to the horse for the jumps. if i
didn’t have my arthritis i would be able to
keep horseback riding.”
pain that causes a child to miss school
or give up on a favourite activity is only
one of the symptoms that affect children
with Juvenile Arthritis. Katelyn (last name
withheld at the request of the family) of
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was so embar-
rassed by her condition she would avoid
participating in gym class.
“Sometimes i forgot to bring my gym
shorts and t-shirt to school because i
didn’t want anyone to make fun of my
knees,” says Katelyn.
the cause, or causes, of Juvenile Arthritis
remain unknown. But ground-breaking
work in Canada is seeking answers.
Research in Juvenile Arthritis
in 2006, the Canadian Arthritis Network
(www.arthritisnetwork.ca), the Arthritis
Society (www.arthritis.ca), the Canadian
institutes of Health Research’s (www.cihr-
irsc.gc.ca) institute of Musculoskeletal
Health and Arthritis (iMHA) and infection
and immunity (iii) and other funders
awarded nearly $1.7 million over five
years to dr. Alan Rosenberg (University of
Saskatchewan) and his large team of ac-
complished researchers to study Juvenile
Arthritis and improve the lives of young
arthritis sufferers and their families.
dr. Rosenberg’s group has been test-
ing three questions as it studies how the
interaction of genes, environment and
lifestyle early in the disease process can
help predict Juvenile Arthritis outcomes
such as joint damage and diminished
quality of life.
Here is what the group is studying:
• does stress make arthritis worse by af-
fecting levels of infl ammatory proteins?
• do infections worsen arthritis out-
comes?
• How do nutrition, physical activity, sun
exposure, exposure to tobacco smoke,
physical trauma and genetic factors
infl uence arthritis activity and damage
to the bone and cartilage in the joints?
A new national paediatric rheumatol-
ogy alliance (CApRi: Canadian Alliance of
pediatric Rheumatology investigators, led
by dr. Rae Yeung at the Hospital for Sick
Children) has formed as a result of the col-
laboration between so many experts on
Rosenberg’s team hailing from different
institutions across the country. in an en-
vironment where sharing fi ndings is not
the norm, CApRi is taking a leadership role
that is expected to benefi t children with
arthritis in Canada and around the world.
the team has already collected a
substantial amount of data that are now
being analyzed and are expected to have
implications for future public health policy
planning.
According to dr. Rosenberg: “Results
from this study should help guide more
rationally-conceived, safer and more cost-
effective treatment and prevention strate-
gies to improve outcomes in children. A
new national guideline on physical activ-
ity and nutrition for managing Juvenile
Arthritis in Canada is an important goal of
our work.”
Treatment of Juvenile Arthritis
A number of medications are used
to treat Juvenile Arthritis. they in-
clude non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAids), such as ibuprofen and
naproxen, steroid therapy, particularly by
injecting the steroid into affected joints,
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs
(dMARds) and biologics. they range in
effectiveness, severity of side effects and
cost. Because every child is different and
the severity of his/her disease will differ,
a treatment program will be designed
by the child’s doctor. to be fully effective,
medication must always be taken regu-
larly and exactly as prescribed.
“these children have concerns that
fall outside the normal routine of their
peers: regular visits to a rheumatologist or
physiotherapist; a demanding treatment
program; and, a rigorous medication regi-
men,” says dr. Brian Feldman, head of the
division of paediatric Rheumatology at
the Hospital for Sick Children in toronto
“No child should have to go through that.”
if Canadian researchers have their way,
no child will have to go through that
ever again.
Researchers Leading The Way Against Childhood ArthritisJessica gambriel of London, Ontario, was four when she was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. Her story is not unusual. She is like one out of every 1,000 Canadian babies, toddlers and children (up to the age of 16) strick-en with a painful form of infl ammatory joint disease. Juvenile Arthritis is one of the most common, chron-ic, disabling conditions of childhood and signifi cantly impacts a child’s quality of life.
BY: StACeY JOHNSONdiReCtOR COMMUNiCAtiONS, CANAdiAN ARtHRitiS NetWORK
IN ANCIENT TIMES, A PALADIN
WAS A CHAMPION OF A CAUSE.
TODAY, THE CAUSE IS PAIN.
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supporting Canada’s arthritis research community since 1998.to learn more, visit www.arthritisnetwork.ca
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Today’s arthritis research :: Tomorrow’s cure
6 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt
bones & joint Pain
AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 7
“One size definitely doesn’t fit
all [in osteoarthritis],” says
dr. philip Baer, a long-time
rheumatologist and vice president of the
Ontario Rheumatology Association. “You
have a menu of [treatment] options.”
dr. Baer explains that the main reason
osteoarthritis treatments must be tai-
lored to the individual is that patients
are often dealing with side effects from
medications. there’s no cure for osteoar-
thritis except risky and invasive joint re-
placement surgery, so many treatments
involve drugs that help in managing pain
and improving mobility and quality of
life. Since many osteoarthritis sufferers
are elderly, they often have other condi-
tions such as heart disease, blood pres-
sure or diabetes. Over-the-counter pain
relievers like acetaminophen, aspirin or
ibuprofen can cause serious side effects
in people with multiple conditions or
people taking other medications. Acet-
aminophen can cause upset stomach,
and long-term use has been linked to
impairment of kidney function, increases
in blood pressure and an increased risk
of asthma. the drug can also interfere
with blood thinners (often taken after a
heart attack or stroke), or blood clotting
or bleeding time. in people with pre-
existing liver diseases like hepatitis or
cirrhosis, it can also cause liver problems.
Aspirin has to be taken at high doses to
work, and it can have side effects similar
to those seen with ibuprofen and other
anti-inflammatory drugs. these drugs
can cause ulcers, bleeding in the gastro-
intestinal tract, upset stomach, constipa-
tion, heartburn or even kidney or heart
failure. While many people don’t experi-
ence side effects like these, older people
are more likely to have trouble. doctors
can switch patients to other drugs until
they find the combination that works, or
they can treat the side effects with other
drugs, but these may, in turn, cause differ-
ent side effects.
there are several ways to improve
pain from osteoarthritis that eliminate
or minimize side effects. Losing weight
and strengthening the muscles around
the effected joint can help, as can eating
a healthy diet rich in calcium, vitamin d
and omega-3 fats. pain-relieving topical
treatments can be rubbed on the ef-
fected joint to deliver anti-inflammatory
drugs only where needed, minimizing
side effects. “the blood level [of the drug]
is incredibly low compared to taking an
oral tablet, so you don’t get the same
problems.” dr. Baer says about the topi-
cal options. Currently the only topical op-
tion available by prescription in Canada
(pennsaid) is prescribed for osteoarthritis
of the knee. injections directly into the
joint can also be an option to avoid side
effects in other systems in the body.
even though there are many side
effects that can occur in the treatment of
osteoarthritis, there are also ways to try
and avoid them.
Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the majority of people over 70. it can be painful and debilitating, and there are almost as many treatments as there are sufferers. each patient has individual needs and challenges, depending on a host of factors.
Thus it is necessary to have a healthy
weight strategy which includes
exercise. Regular physical activity
can help maintain strength, flexibility,
balance and coordination throughout
one’s life span. the ability to perform
daily tasks and physical function declines
in the sedentary population compared
with their active counterparts. in the el-
derly, exercise can help reduce the risk
of falls. it is well established that physical
activity reduces the risk of cardiovascu-
lar disease, high blood pressure, type 2
diabetes and some cancers, and also has
psychological benefits.
An unfortunate consequence of physi-
cal activity, whether it is sport, play, work or
recreation, is injury. participation in stren-
uous forms of exercise, contact sports, and
highly competitive sports poses greater
risk of injury. the risk of injury in mild to
moderate forms of fitness-related activity
is minimal and the benefits of exercise far
outweigh any risks.
Sports injuries occur when a load
or strain is applied to the body which
exceeds the body’s capacity to adapt, re-
sulting in tissue damage. Acute injuries
have a clearly defined onset and usually
result from a fall, twist or collision. the
cause of an acute injury is often con-
sidered accidental, for example, when a
basketball player slips on a wet floor and
sprains his or her ankle. However, upon
closer examination, associated contrib-
uting factors may often be identified like
worn out shoes, muscle fatigue and lack
of conditioning. Common acute injuries
are ligament sprains of the knee and
ankle, muscle contusions, and fractures.
Overuse injuries have a more gradual
insidious onset. it may be difficult to
determine when the problem actually
began. A basic principle of training is that
the body will respond with tissue-specific
adaptation. if the training load applied is
increased gradually and the body is al-
lowed to adapt to this load, successively
greater loads may be tolerated. Athletes
who push their physical limits risk injury.
doing too much, too soon, too often and
without rest, is a recipe for injury! this
is a common problem amongst runners
where the injury rates are significant.
50-70 per cent of runners in any given
year will sustain an injury. Common over-
use injuries in runners are knee-related
conditions like patellofemoral pain and
patellar tendonitis.
Sport injuries can also be catego-
rized by the anatomical structure that
is affected. injury to the bone results in
fracture. injuries to the soft tissues (carti-
lage, muscle, tendon and ligament) have
distinct characteristics based on their
physiological properties and biome-
chanical function. For example, the four
ligaments of the knee each have unique
aspects to treatment and prognosis. the
mechanism of ligament injury is joint
overloading into an extreme position
beyond the normal range. the damage
to the ligament ranges from a stretch to
the fibers to complete tear of the liga-
ment. the medial collateral ligament of
the knee is treated non-operatively and
most patients will have full functional
recovery. On the other hand, disruption
of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of
the knee may result in recurrent instabil-
ity. ACL tears can start out with one simple
move gone wrong—like a sudden change
in direction, coming down from a jump, or
pivoting. the end result can be recurrent,
and an increased risk of early onset osteo-
arthritis. Surgical reconstruction of the ACL
ligament is often necessary to return the
individual to an active lifestyle.
proper diagnosis and treatment of
sport injuries is necessary not only to
return individuals to their previous
activity level in a timely fashion, but also
to reintegrate them into their work and
activities of daily living. the challenge in
managing sport injuries is to identify the
causative factors, understand the physi-
cal demands of the sport, and advise
regarding injury prevention. Sport medi-
cine physicians have specialized training
and skills that allow them to care for
active individuals of all ages. they often
work with other health professionals like
physiotherapists, massage therapists,
and orthopaedic surgeons using a team
approach to help guide their patients
back to health. After all, exercise is good
medicine!
dr. Renata Frankowich, BMath, Md,
CCFp, FCFp, dipSportMed, Board of di-
rector: Canadian Association of Sports
Medicine and assistant chief medical
officer for the Canadian Olympic team,
vancouver 2010.
Sports Injuries From A Sports Medicine PerspectiveRegular physical activity is an important aspect of healthy living. exercise has beneficial effects on our bones and joints, particularly weight bearing exercises which are critical in developing peak bone mass and thereby pre-venting osteoporosis. Joint wear and tear in the form of osteoarthritis is accelerated in obese patients.
Osteoarthritis: Pain relief doesn’t have to hurt
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*than most regular yogourts. A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and regular physical activity, help to achieve strong bones and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. *than most regular yogourts. A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and regular physical activity, help to achieve strong bones and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
BY: dR. ReNAtA FRANKOWiCH, BMAtH, Md, CCFp, FCFp, dipSpORtMed
BY: LAURA MANN
there’s no cure for osteoarthritis except risky and invasive joint replace-
ment surgery… treatments involve drugs that help in managing pain and improving mobility and quality of life.
Make no bones about it
Calcium is essential in Maintaining strong bones
did you know that more than 70 per cent of Canadian women do not get enough calcium? Since calcium cannot be produced by the human body it is up to the individual to consume enough of it—through food or supplements—to maintain strong bones. An easy way to help reach this daily calcium goal is to incorporate Yoplait Asana into your diet.Yoplait Asana’s unique recipe contains three complementary ingredients: calcium, vitamin d and Milk Basic protein (MBp™), an innovative dairy ingredient exclusive to Yoplait in Canada that could reduce the activity of cells responsible for bone resorption1 and could increase cell activity involved in bone formation2. One serving (175 g) of Yoplait Asana in the plain variety provides 40 per cent of the Rdi of calcium, twice as much calcium than most regular yogourts and 30 per cent of the Rdi of vitamin d. Yoplait Asana tastes great without a chalky taste.it is important to build healthy bones throughout your life and to do what you can to prevent the degeneration of bone density. You can incorporate more calcium into your diet by eating calcium fortified foods and substituting yogourt into your favourite recipes. visit Yoplait.ca to find recipe ideas!
1 (Aoe et al., 2005)2 (Kawakami 2004)
6 AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt AN iNdepeNdeNt SUppLeMeNt tO tHe NAtiONAL pOSt 7
bones & joint Pain
Throughout your adult life, calcium
is used in many places in the body,
for many different things. if you
don’t get enough calcium in your diet,
your body uses calcium stored in your
bones, which can weaken them over time.
if you keep calcium available through the
food you eat, your body won’t need to
use up the calcium in your bones. good
sources of calcium include dairy products,
fish, vegetables and some fruits.
it’s not enough just to eat foods with
calcium, though. As you get older, you
become less able to absorb nutrients
from food, and the calcium in some foods
is harder to absorb than the calcium in
others. it’s estimated that we only absorb
about 30-50 per cent of the calcium in our
diet. vitamin d helps your body absorb
the calcium in your food, so it’s important
to get enough vitamin d as well as cal-
cium. Your body makes vitamin d when
your skin is exposed to sunlight, and vi-
tamin d is found in dairy products. Many
foods are fortified with vitamin d, such
as juice and margarine. Check labels as
liver, fish and egg yolks are the only foods
that naturally contain vitamin d. Calcium
and vitamin d supplements can help you
meet your daily requirements as well, but
choosing the right foods can make a big
difference. the calcium in spinach and
rhubarb is harder for your body to absorb
than the calcium in broccoli. But, you’d still
need to eat over 10 spears of broccoli to
get the same amount of calcium found in
one cup of yogurt.
Certain foods, however, can speed up
calcium loss. A high-salt diet can cause
your body to lose calcium, so it’s impor-
tant to watch your salt intake. in addition
to the table salt you add to food, there is
hidden salt, or sodium, in many foods. So
even if a food doesn’t taste salty, check the
label. Often, canned and preserved foods
such as soups or bread contain high so-
dium levels, and restaurant food can also
have a lot in it. You only need about 2300
mg (1 tsp.) of sodium per day, but many
Canadians eat far more.
Canadians sometimes drink too much
caffeine. the caffeine found in tea, coffee
and soft drinks can contribute to calcium
loss, as can drinking alcohol. Heavy alcohol
use or drinking more than four cups of cof-
fee or caffeine-containing drinks in a day
may put your bone health at risk.
Joint health is also important as we age.
Your joints connect your bones and make
it possible for you to move. problems like
arthritis are mainly problems of the joints
and can be painful and dangerous condi-
tions causing loss of mobility or falls.
Fresh fruits and vegetables contain
boron, and diets high in this nutrient show
a decreased rate of arthritis. For people
already experiencing trouble with bones
or joints, foods containing omega-3 oils
(salmon, walnuts, olive oil or flax) may help
lessen inflammation and alleviate pain.
A diet high in dairy, fresh fruits and veg-
etables, lean meats, nuts and whole grains
and low in preserved foods, caffeine and
alcohol will help you keep your bones and
joints healthy.
The McCaig institute truly dem-
onstrates how multidisciplinary
teams of engineers, scientists and
clinicians effectively translate bench top
research to a clinical setting—directly
improving treatment options and qual-
ity care for patients. three examples of
recent biomedical engineering endeav-
ors include: developing the Rotobot, in-
venting the SpideR Limb positioner and
creating a new computer-assisted sur-
gery system. All three innovations are the
first in the world.
the Rotobot is capable of reproducing
the movement and forces in a joint. it al-
lows researchers to investigate specific
problems by conducting controlled ex-
periments. the knowledge gained from
this work is then used to modify treat-
ment options for living patients. individu-
als who may be predisposed to develop-
ing Osteoarthritis, or those that have a
hereditary risk of joint injury, will benefit
from this research. A second prototype of
the Rotobot has recently been released,
and several research groups at universi-
ties in North America have purchased this
second generation machine.
Another unique robot-like tool devel-
oped by biomedical engineers in Calgary
has dramatically changed the way ortho-
paedic surgeons control and position
limbs during upper extremity surgeries.
Not only does the SpideR free up space
and an extra set of hands in the operating
room, but it allows the surgeon to control
the device through foot pedal activation
in order to support and provide trac-
tion for even the heaviest limb. the key
element of the SpideR was designed by
Brent King, a biology major from UCalgary
who went on to a mechanical engineer-
ing degree from UBC, then joined the
company that manufactures it, teNet
Medical engineering. president Ken
Moore started the company in 1994 with
the support and guidance of colleagues in
the Faculties of engineering and Medicine
including dr. Bob Bray, professor, depart-
ment of Surgery, dr. Nigel Shrive, dphil. ,
director of the McCaig institute for Bone
and Joint Health, as well as dr. Cy Frank,
executive director of the Alberta Bone
and Joint Health institute. “i see it as a
model for a cycle of innovation. people
who are trained at the university who cre-
ated a business that’s generating revenue,
and in turn that business is paying to
train more people and advance research,”
Frank explains. “it’s a win-win situation for
everyone involved. And ultimately it’s the
patients who are benefiting from these
products.”
Up to 25 per cent of patients who un-
dergo total knee replacement surgery
experience pain around the kneecap
in the years following surgery. One of
the causes of this pain is an inaccurate
cut of the kneecap. dr. Carolyn Anglin,
a biomedical engineer in the Schulich
School of engineering and a researcher
at the McCaig institute for Bone and Joint
Health, aims to improve the accuracy of
this cut by providing visual feedback and
measurements to the surgeon via an in-
novative computer system. the computer
takes the information from markers on
the surgeon’s instruments and markers on
the bone and then, using mathematical
algorithms, determines and displays the
optimal position for cutting the kneecap.
Similar computer-assisted surgery sys-
tems exist for the larger bones of the knee
(tibia and femur) and for other joints, but
such systems do not yet exist for the knee-
cap. Anglin and her students collaborate
directly with dr. Carol Hutchison, associate
professor, department of Surgery at the
University of Calgary to combine both the
engineering and surgical perspectives.
As new medical technologies continue
to emerge, there is no question that bio-
medical engineering in Calgary will con-
tinue to be at the forefront!
Innovative Technologies In Bone And Joint Biomedical Engineering BY: SUe HUNteR
BY: LAURA MANN
BY: LAURA MANN
the University of Calgary is uniquely poised to facilitate collaborative research initia-tives between the McCaig institute for Bone and Joint Health in the Faculty of Medicine and the Schulich School of engineering.
Nutrition For Healthy Bones & JointsAs we age, our bones and joint health often goes down-hill. good nutrition can help slow down this process, and it often starts when we’re very young. the body needs calcium to build bones in childhood, and your bone mass reaches its highest level at around age 20. the higher your peak bone mass is at this age, the less likely your bones are to become fragile later.
He hopes to help find solutions
to problems plaguing current
treatments of conditions like ar-
thritis, bone and joint trauma and sports
injury. “in Canada, there are a number of
areas that are exciting for orthopaedic re-
search,” he says. And it certainly is cutting
edge stuff he’s talking about.
One of the areas dr. Jomha studies is
cryopreservation of joint tissue. A major
need that surgeons have is availability of
cartilage for transplants. Cartilage doesn’t
repair itself the same way other tissues
do, as it has no blood supply. that means
that damage to cartilage can often be
permanent and gets worse over time.
When joints are damaged, as in cases of
osteoarthritis, sports injuries or accidents,
a transplant may help people get back to
normal. the good news is that cartilage
transplants have fewer problems with
rejection than other types of transplants,
and patients don’t need to take immuno-
suppressant drugs. the bad news is that
cartilage is very difficult to preserve alive.
When donor cartilage becomes available,
doctors have a very short window before
the donated tissue dies. dead cartilage
can still be used for transplants, but it
won’t work well for long. dr. Jomha and
his team are working on a way to preserve
this type of cell for long periods of time.
Cryopreservation involves cooling the
tissue to very low temperatures (around
-196°C), which slows down cell activity
and stops the tissue from aging. dr. Jomha
hopes that this technique, once perfected,
will allow a tissue bank to be created,
which would help many people by giving
surgeons easy access to donor cartilage
whenever they need it.
transplants only come into play after
the damage has already been done.
Research is also being done to look at
ways of preventing joint damage before
it happens. previous injury to a joint is a
risk factor for arthritis; so better healing
of injuries could help prevent arthritis in
the future. Major focus in orthopaedic
research is being given to finding ways
to stimulate cartilage to heal itself. One
method extracts cartilage cells from
a joint, grows them in a lab and then
puts them back. the problem with this
method is that the cartilage cells change
when they are taken out of the body, and
when they are put back, they don’t quite
return to normal. dr. Jomha is also doing
research using mesenchymal stem cells to
try to create a more natural healing pro-
cess. these stem cells are like master cells
that can change into different cells in the
body, such as bone cells, fat cells or car-
tilage cells. they live in the bone marrow
and are sent through the bloodstream
to heal damaged areas. they are not the
same as the controversial embryonic stem
cells from unborn embryos. “[A cartilage
cell that develops from a stem cell] is not
an old [cartilage cell] that’s been taken
out of its home,” says dr. Jomha. “it’s like a
new [cell] that’s going to build its home.“
Cartilage isn’t the only tissue being
studied. Much research also surrounds
improving bone healing. Surprisingly,
in some cases, broken bones don’t heal
on their own. this is particularly seen in
smokers, as smoking constricts blood
vessels and limits blood flow to broken
bones. people with diabetes may also
have trouble with bone healing. Bones
can be stimulated with certain surger-
ies that can be very expensive, so some
research focuses on finding cheaper ways
to encourage bone healing.
Last, but not least, studies on joint re-
placements in arthritis are at the very fore-
front of orthopaedic research. the Arthritis
Society reports that arthritis is one of the
top three chronic diseases in Canada, and
it affects one in six Canadian adults. Joint
replacement surgery is currently the only
way to cure the problem. thousands of
hip and knee replacement surgeries are
performed in Canada every year. “the
results are quite good,” says dr. Jomha.
“But [researchers] are still pushing for bet-
ter function and more longevity.” Studies
are often being conducted on how to both
maximize the benefits and minimize the
risks of joint replacement surgery.
From full joint replacement to preven-
tion of arthritis and healing of injuries,
it seems that the future of orthopaedics
looks impossibly bright.
Orthopaedic Research Is On The Movedr. Nadr Jomha thinks he can do the impossible. And thank goodness for that. He’s one of Canada’s dedicated researchers in the field of orthopaedics, as well as being a practicing orthopaedic surgeon, past president of the Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society and the director of Orthopaedic Research at the University of Alberta.
Aging is a difficult thing to face, let
alone plan for, and a recent poll
showed that less than half of se-
niors aged 65-85 have researched ways to
live independently at home. Ninety-seven
per cent, however, said they are trying to
be pro-active about their health. Seniors
don’t want to give away control of their
health or focus on how their health may
decline, but by not planning the specif-
ics, they may be missing out on vital
resources that could keep them living
healthily at home.
planning ahead involves understand-
ing possible obstacles. Many problems
that could cause seniors to lose indepen-
dence can be avoided. One of the lead-
ing causes of death and disability in the
elderly is falling. Bone and joint disorders
such as arthritis can contribute to falling,
and muscle weakness or loss of balance
can also add to the problem. “Musculosk-
eletal disorders and bone and joint disor-
ders are a major part of seniors’ natural
aging process,” says Holly quinn, chief
nursing officer at Bayshore Home Health,
Canada’s largest provider of home and
community health care services. “if we
can keep them pain-free and keep them
from falling, they can have a high quality
of life in their home.”
Home care services offer a wide array
of in-home help, depending on the needs
of individual seniors. Lifestyle support
can help lessen strain; in-home visits can
lower the risk of depression; assessment
of hazards in the home can make recom-
mendations on lighting, how to make
stairs safer, or on special equipment that
can make daily living easier.
As the population ages, prevention
becomes increasingly important. it’s one
thing to treat illness or accidental injury
after the fact, but most agree it’s far better
to prevent these things from occurring in
the first place. But seniors may not always
know about the full range of home care
and community services available to
them that could help them get ahead of
potential problems. each province has
different services available, but often
they include things like help with home-
making, home security, transportation,
home maintenance and repair, caregiver
training/education or social networking.
these services can be accessed through
government care programs or insurance
plans, or sometimes purchased directly.
Some programs, like Bayshore’s
groundbreaking myNurse program, offer
individualized plans incorporating many
different services. the myNurse program
was launched last year and assigns se-
niors a personal nurse who helps them
plan and access services with the goal
of helping them stay healthy and avoid
having to move into assisted living or
retirement homes. “We’re getting a lot of
early enthusiasm around the program,”
says Ms. quinn. “i think it’s because it’s
something that [seniors] can proactively
do to remain healthy and remain in their
homes.” depending on the individual
senior, the program provides things like
risk, pain and falls assessments, referrals,
suggestions on rearranging furniture for
safety or a muscle-strengthening pro-
gram. All are based on in-home visits on a
schedule tailored to the individual.
Home care should be thought of as
a tool to help seniors live the way they
want to, despite the limitations they have
to face. And even if life is not yet posing
challenges, it likely will in the future. Se-
niors should feel free to use the available
resources without feeling overwhelmed
or over-managed.
Ms. quinn explains how home care is a
nice balance of independence and assis-
tance: “there’s nothing more reassuring
than the familiar face of a health profes-
sional who understands your personal
needs and will visit you in your home [to]
take care of you.”
For Seniors: Home is Where the Hope isgetting older has its perks. Retirement, grandchildren, community, travel; for seniors, these can be the spoils of a life well lived and also things they’ve been looking for-ward to for years. even though their bodies may be slow-ing down, many seniors have built lives, and homes, that they maintain and love, and they want nothing more than to remain independent and in their homes as they age.
BY: LAURA MANN
there’s no cure for osteoarthritis except risky and invasive joint replace-
ment surgery… treatments involve drugs that help in managing pain and improving mobility and quality of life.
one of the leading causes of death and disability in the elderly is falling.
TOGETHER, WE CAN F IGHT THE F IRE.
More and more
Canadians are living
with infl ammatory
disease. Including
rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriatic arthritis, and
ankylosing spondylitis.
And psoriasis and
Crohn’s disease.
Abbott is committed
to improving the health
of people with these
conditions. Through
research. And by funding
compassionate treatment,
educational initiatives
and organizations that
provide support.
Abbott, the healthcare
community, and you.
Because to get better, we
need to fi ght together.
www.abbott.ca
Abbott-AD Corp Service Eng.indd 1 1/18/10 9:04:50 AM