Bone and Joint Care

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Gout

Gout is a joint disorder where deposits of uric crystals accumulate in the joints. Over time, this accumulation of crystals causes flares (attacks) or painful inflammation in and around joints. The condition is more common among men than women, and usually develops during middle age or after menopause.

Gout is caused by hyperuricemia, a condition that results in high levels of uric acid in the blood. This happens when too little uric acid is filtered by the kidneys or the body produces too much.

Signs and Symptoms

When gout flares up, severe pain may occur in one or more joint. The pain can become progressively worse and is often excruciating particularly when the joint is moved or touched. The joint becomes inflamed, swelling and feeling warm. Other symptoms you may experience include:

Fever
Tachycardia (Increased heart rate)
General malaise
Chills

The symptoms may last for approximately 7 to 10 days. Symptoms gradually disappears, joint functions returns and no symptoms may appear till the next flare up. However, if left untreated and the gout progresses, the flare ups may last longer, occur more frequently and affect more than one joint. Flare ups may also last up to three weeks.

After several repeated flares, gout may increase in severity and may lead to permanent joint deformity.

Risk Factor

Factors that may increase the level of uric acid in your body include:

Diet: Eating a diet rich in red meat and shellfish increases the levels of uric acid in your body, which increases your risk of gout. Alcohol consumption, especially of beer, also increases your risk of gout.
Weight: If you are overweight, your body may produce more uric acid, and your kidneys may have a more difficult time filtering out uric acid.
Medical conditions: Certain conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart diseases and kidney diseases may increase your risk of gout.
Family history: If you have a family member with gout, you are more likely to develop the disease.

Step by Step: A Guide to Healthy Feet

A pair of healthy feet are crucial for helping you navigate the hustle and bustle of daily life, especially in Singapore where people are often on the move. Hence, it is no surprise that your feet deserve to be well cared for too. Hear from Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Foo Gen Lin on common foot ailments and ways to care for your feet.

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Understanding Bone & Joint Care: Your Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Support

Move well. Feel well. Caring together for your bones and joints means taking care of your range of movements and the quality of life you want. From exercise and nutrition, to attending to injuries and long- and short-term conditions, moving well can influence your daily routines, work and play.

Empowering Yourself with Knowledge

This resource provides information about cancer, including:

Importance of Bone & Joint Care: Understand the importance of maintaining your bone and joint health.
Common Orthopedic Conditions: Learn about the different types of common orthopedic conditions and their characteristics.
Key Risk Factors: Explore various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that may leave you susceptible to orthopedic conditions.
Ways to Improve Bone & Joint Care: Learn about lifestyle factors and preventive measures to minimize your risk of orthopedic conditions.

What is Bone & Joint Care?

Bone and joint care focuses on maintaining the health and function of your musculoskeletal system, which includes bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It involves preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions that affect these structures, such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fractures, sprains, and strains. Good bone and joint health is essential for mobility, independence, and overall quality of life.

Importance of Bone & Joint Care

Mobility & independence: Healthy bones and joints allow you to move freely and perform daily activities without pain or limitations.
Pain prevention: Bone and joint problems can cause chronic pain that affects your ability to work, sleep, and enjoy life.

What Causes Orthopedic Conditions?

Heart disease is caused by a complex interplay of factors, including:

Non-Modifiable Factors: Age, gender, ethnicity family history, and inherited genetic mutations.
Modifiable Factors:
- Lifestyle: Diet, occupation, sports and physical activities, and poor posture.
- Health: Obesity, Prior injuries

Symptoms of Orthopedic Conditions

Symptoms of orthopedic conditions may vary depending on the type of orthopedic conditions. However, some general signs and symptoms include:

Pain in the affected segment of the bone or joint
Swelling and Redness
Joint stiffness
Limited range of movement
Numbness, tingling or weakness

Important Note: These symptoms may also be indicative of other health conditions. Speak to our Specialists today for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

Common Orthopedic Conditions in Singapore

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the breakdown of cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions the ends of bones in joints.
Fractures happen when there is a break in a bone, which can be caused by trauma or osteoporosis.
Sprains & Strains, are stretches or tears of a ligament (sprain) and stretches or tears of a muscle or tendon (strain).
Back Pain can be caused by various factors, including muscle strains, ligament sprains, disc herniation, and spinal stenosis.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happen when the median nerve, which runs through the wrist, is compressed.
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that typically develops during adolescence.

Orthopedic Treatment Goals

Relieve pain to reduce discomfort and improve daily functioning
Restore and maintain function to help patients return to normal activities
Slow disease progression, especially in chronic conditions

Improving Bone & Joint Health

Here are some helpful ways to improve your bone & joint health:

Eat a heart-healthy diet with an emphasis on calcium-rich food such as dairy-products and leafy green vegetables.
Get enough vitamin D which is essential for calcium absorption. You can do so by getting sufficient sunlight or from fortified foods and supplements.
Engage in regular physical activities by doing weight-bearing exercises such as jogging or stair climbing, muscle-strengthening exercises which build muscle mass and flexibility exercises such as yoga and stretching.
Practice good posture, avoid slouching and maintain proper posture while sitting and standing.
Manage existing medical conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis through medication and lifestyle changes.

Mobility

Enjoy the right form of exercise at your preferred pace. Listen to your body and improve your everyday mobility with the movement solutions that suit you.

Learn about fall prevention in the elderly, hip and knee joint replacement, and nutrition information from our medical and allied health specialists.

Care

Get tips and takeaways for the benefit of your daily routines and activities from our orthopedic and allied health specialists for various conditions and treatment options.

Learn about conditions relating to shoulder and elbow, neck, back and spine, hand and wrist, foot and ankle, geriatric care, and sports injuries. Helping you with individualized care.