Diabetes not only results in stroke or cardiovascular disorders but also damages bones and joints. Hyperglycemia or excess blood glucose level is the main cause of bone weakening, pain in joints, and slowed healing, enhancing the risk for developing conditions like osteoarthritis (an arthropathy causing degenerative disease of joints characterised by pain, stiffness, and inflammation of joints) and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis resulting in restriction of movements in the joint of the shoulder). When we spoke to Dr Aashish Arbat, Orthopedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon, Jehangir Multispeciality Hospitals, Pune, people with diabetes have higher risks of developing knee osteoarthritis and ligament sprains, so joint care is a significant part of diabetes care.
High blood glucose affects bones and joints
- Weak bones: Diabetes interferes with the balance between bone building and bone breakdown, causing bone density to decrease. This weakens bones and makes them more prone to fractures.
- Joint pain and stiffness: Hyperglycemia causes inflammation of the joints, resulting in pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility. Therefore, one will have a hard time performing daily tasks with ease.
- Delayed healing: Inadequate blood flow due to diabetes reduces the rate at which fractures and joint injuries heal.
- Increased risk of osteoarthritis: Diabetics are at a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis, especially in the knees, owing to weight gain, inflammation, and joint damage, which leads to wear and tear.
- Frozen Shoulder: Diabetes also welcomes a condition known as adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, leading to extreme stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint.
- Ligament Injuries: Elevated glucose levels weaken the ligaments, thus leaving diabetic individuals susceptible to injuries that will require prompt intervention.
Essential advice for diabetic patients:
Choose a diet of calcium and vitamin-loaded foods and consume dairy products, leafy vegetables, nuts, and fish in your meals. Similarly, do not consume processed foods that are rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates to manage inflammation. Daily weight-bearing activities like walking, resistance training, and yoga can improve the strength of bones and flexibility of joints. Even cycling and swimming are also suitable for people with joint pain. Stop smoking and alcohol, and stay at an optimum weight to decrease the strain on the joints.
Treatment:
In severe conditions, robotic knee replacement can be recommended to the patient. This minimally invasive surgery is accurate in knee joint replacement, which makes it faster to recover. It is predominantly helpful for diabetic patients with osteoarthritis. Arthroscopic procedures can correct joint damage with fewer risks than conventional surgery. Bone and joint complications in diabetes patients should be detected early. Regular bone scans, joint checks, and annual check-ups could detect problems earlier and avoid immobility.
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