Bones are living tissues that change constantly. New bone cells are produced to replace and repair old and worn-out ones. It is not surprising that when age catches up with us, we will at some point face bones and joint mobility problems. Therefore, it is important to self-check ourselves on potential issues with our bodily joints as early as possible.

Generally, we may face these symptoms on our joints:

• Swelling
• Pain
• Stiffness and difficulty bending the knee
• Ache or pain when climbing stairs due to overweight

Symptoms of further wear and tear usually come in the form of:

Osteoarthritis
Most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis. Comes from the progressive wearing down of cartilage over time. This will limit your range of motion and trigger pain, stiffness, weakness and swelling of the knee.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Autoimmune disease that causes the tissue around the joint to become inflamed and thickened. Over a longer time, it can damage and reduce the knee cartilage.

Bursitis
That sac of fluid over your kneecap can get irritated if you bend or kneel constantly. Also known as “housemaid’s knee”

Gout
Crystal deposits within the joint cause pain, swelling and inflammation (with redness and heat)

Patellar Mistracking
When our kneecap slides out of position, pain and swelling result. This can be caused by weak thigh muscles, or activities which stress the knee, especially by twisting.

As we age, the risk of osteoporosis also increases.

Osteoporosis (Porous bones)
A condition where the density and quality of our bones are reduced. As the disease progresses, the risk of fractures increases​. Even a minor bump or fall can cause a fracture​.

Osteoporosis happens when our bone loss is more than bone production. The older we get, the higher chance of us getting the disease.​

Osteoporosis is a silent disease. There are no signs in the early stages of osteoporosis. It is usually identified only when bones fracture or break.

But Osteoporosis does not affect only the elderly. If mature adults in their 40s do not have a regular calcium intake, they also face a risk of osteoporosis. And a fall simply can result in bone fractures.

To understand how to improve bone mineral density and bone health, you can call our clinic, make an appointment for healthy joint screening and pain management at Whampoa West. (Next to Boon Keng MRT)