Skip to main content

DIABETES-ORTHOPAEDICS


Diabetes and Orthopedics: A Comprehensive Overview

Diabetes and its impact on the musculoskeletal system are closely intertwined. This article delves into the key aspects of this critical connection.

Diabetic Impact on the Musculoskeletal System:

  • Neuropathy: Elevated blood sugar damages nerves, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain, particularly in the lower extremities. This increases vulnerability to unnoticed injuries and foot ulcers.
  • Peripheral artery disease (PAD): Diabetes often promotes blood vessel damage, hindering blood flow to the feet and legs. This impairs wound healing and elevates infection risks.
  • Weakened bones: Diabetes may exacerbate bone weakening, increasing susceptibility to fractures, especially in older adults.

Common Orthopedic Complications:

  • Foot ulcers: Open sores, typically on the feet, result from the combined effects of neuropathy and PAD. Unmanaged, they can lead to infections and amputations.
  • Charcot neuroarthropathy: This severe complication involves bone and joint destruction in the feet due to nerve damage, potentially leading to deformity and amputations.
  • Fractures: Individuals with diabetes are at higher risk of fractures, especially in the lower extremities, owing to weakened bones and impaired healing.
  • Frozen shoulder (Adhesive capsulitis): This condition, characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint, may occur more frequently in individuals with diabetes due to inflammation and tissue changes.
  • Tendonitis and bursitis: Inflammation of tendons and bursae (fluid-filled sacs cushioning joints) in the hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders can be more common in people with diabetes.
  • Hand deformities: Dupuytren's contracture, a condition causing fingers to curl inwards, is more prevalent in individuals with diabetes.
  • Spinal issues: Diabetes may increase the risk of developing lower back pain and spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal).
  • Osteoarthritis: While not directly caused by diabetes, the combination of inflammation, weight gain, and joint instability linked to diabetes can contribute to the development or progression of osteoarthritis in various joints.
Management and Prevention:

Strict glycemic control: Maintaining optimal blood sugar levels is crucial for preventing and managing orthopedic complications.
Meticulous foot care: Daily foot checks for injuries and infection signs are essential. Choosing well-fitting shoes and avoiding going barefoot are key preventive measures.
Regular exercise: Physical activity promotes blood sugar control and improves circulation, reducing complication risks.
Balanced diet: A healthy diet bolsters blood sugar management and overall health, mitigating complication risks.
Proactive medical care: Regular consultations with your healthcare provider enable early detection and management of potential issues.

Remember:

  • Diabetes significantly impacts the musculoskeletal system, necessitating proactive measures. By meticulously managing diabetes, adhering to preventive foot care routines, engaging in regular exercise, consuming a balanced diet, and receiving consistent medical care, individuals with diabetes can significantly reduce their risk of developing orthopedic complications.
Dr.Naveen Chowdary Tummala
SCOT : Dr. Naveen's Bone and Joint Clinic, Sholinganallur
9094568894 , 9094567893

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Road Rage & RSI: Tips to Save Your Spine & Serenity

Conquering the Commute: Advanced Strategies for Navigating Traffic & Rough Roads Taming the urban jungle while battling bumpy terrain demands more than just steering wheel prowess. It's an exercise in physical and mental agility, requiring a strategic approach that prioritizes both comfort and composure.  Repetitive movements can strain your body, leading to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). So while driving you could be straining your neck, wrist, ankle and many other joints as well as muscles that slowly and steadily lead to long damage. Not only the bodily strain, bad driving conditions can lead to mental strain too and that is the cause for Road Rage. Here's how to elevate your driving game, transforming those tense commutes into journeys of focused awareness. Physical Finesse: Proper Posture: Imagine a string gently pulling you upwards, aligning your spine and neck in a relaxed yet upright position. Adjust your seat so your lower back finds solace against t
Post a Comment
Read more

Walking: Tips to Make it a Great Exercise

Walking: A Great Exercise for Orthopedic Health Walking is a fantastic form of exercise that's widely recommended by Orthopaedic Surgeons. It's a low-impact activity that delivers a multitude of benefits for your bones, joints, and overall health. Benefits of Walking for Your Orthopedic Health Strengthens Bones and Muscles: Walking is weight-bearing exercise, forcing your bones and muscles to work against gravity. This strengthens them, helping to prevent osteoporosis and injuries. Improves Joint Health: Walking lubricates your joints and improves flexibility. It can also reduce pain and stiffness caused by arthritis. Maintains a Healthy Weight: Walking burns calories and aids in maintaining a healthy weight. This is crucial for joint health, as excess weight stresses your joints. Enhances Balance and Coordination: Walking improves your balance and coordination, which helps prevent falls. Walking Tips From An Orthopaedic Perspective  Technique Matters: Fo
Post a Comment
Read more

Why LEO Worries Me as An Orthopaedician? Smoking!!!

Before Thalapathi (Actor Dr. Joseph Vijay's title given by his fans) fans get upset with me let me state the following: 1) I am a big fan of his acting , dancing and comic timing. 2) I understand smoking scenes may be the need of the script. 3) I know statutory warnings are displayed when smoking happens on screen. My angst is two fold. Firstly the impressionable minds might misconstrue that smoking is cool as their idol is doing it. And in this movie ,Leo, the number of scenes too is a lot . But more importantly the second thing is that everyone seems to know what smoking does to the heart and lungs but very little is spoken about its impact on Bone & Joint Health. So I will try to address that information gap in this blog post . Smoking and Orthopaedics: A Comprehensive Perspective Smoking is a major public health problem that has a number of adverse effects on the musculoskeletal system, including: Weakening of bones and increased risk of fractures: Smoking decre
Post a Comment
Read more