15:10 Sofia Aqeel: I am a teacher and I have to stand for long hours. My joints hurt and I have continuous leg pain after work. I am exhausted for rest of the day.
15:12 Dr Abhay Dandawate: Professions that involve standing for long can cause two types of problems. Firstly, back pain and secondly, leg pain, due to developing varicose veins because of prolonged standing. So, if it is predominantly leg pain that you suffer from, you must check that you are not developing varicose veins. For varicose veins, in the initial stage, you would be advised to wear stockings on your legs to prevent pooling of the blood and also medication if the symptoms are severe.
15:17 Anjana Pisharody: I have been suffering from back pain on and off for the past two years. I have also put on weight during that period, and used to spend long hours on the computer. Since I was told that the back pain was due to weight and sitting on the computer, I have reduced both now. However, while the back pain has slightly reduced, it is still there. Could it also be related to vitamin deficiency? I would like to seek your opinion and advice.
15:19 Dr Abhay Dandawate: If it is predominantly back pain, without the pain spreading to your legs, this is the most common back pain we encounter. To a very large extent, this back pain is not bad or dangerous, but persists. It is largely related to our lifestyle. Yes, prolonged sitting or driving worsens the back pain. You would be advised to perform certain back exercises on a regular basis to maintain the strength of the muscles that support the back. Weight reduction does help.
15:24 Shahab Ahmad Khan: Whenever I sit to work on the computer, it usually starts paining near my right shoulder at the back. After sometime, when I get up or start walking, it goes away. What may be the problem and what is the suggestion to eliminate it?
15:26 Dr Abhay Dandawate: This is a common problem with almost all computer-related jobs. This is largely a muscular problem, and can be quite painful at times. It is mainly related to posture. Looking straight at the screen will help. Sit back on the chair and don’t lean forward. Take breaks to get up and move about in the office.
15:29 Murugesh Sambasadhasivam: Doctor, how much does stress contribute to the back pain? Also, there is no awareness about the ergonomic design of the chairs. In most of the places where I sit, in lounges for example, I find that the seating is not comfortable.
15:34 Dr Abhay Dandawate: Stress perhaps contributes more to neck pain than lower back pain, but it is not entirely unknown for it to aggravate back pain. If you are talking about airport lounges, then remember airports and aircrafts are not good places for people with back pain. When you sit, make sure the back rests against the chair. Slouching in the chair or sitting leaning forward for a longer period of time is not good.
15:35 Murugesh Sambasadhasivam: What type of exercises would you recommend to prevent back pain?
15:39 Dr Abhay Dandawate: We suggest core muscle strengthening exercises, which include abdominal muscle and back muscle strengthening exercises. However, what I practically see is that, if patients are given a set of 10-12 exercises, they tend to stop exercising after some time, giving the excuse of time. Hence, if you want to do just one type of exercise, do abdominal crunches.
15:39 Sudha Kathuria: Is arthritis hereditary?
15:42 Dr Abhay Dandawate: Arthritis is of various types. The common one is osteoarthritis, which is age related and can be hereditary. The other common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which has far greater hereditary predisposition.
15:40 Sofia Aqeel: My son does not like to drink milk. Can I give him vitamin supplements?
15:44 Dr Abhay Dandawate: If he doesn’t drink milk, he could have other milk products like yoghurt, laban and cheese. I would encourage natural ways of providing these supplements rather than vitamin supplements.
15:45 Sudha Kathuria: I have seen that people who go for regular brisk walks also tend to start limping later. Why? Also, is there no way we can cure osteoarthritis if it is hereditary?
15:48 Dr Abhay Dandawate: Walking is a good exercise. Individuals can develop arthritis but that is not because of walking. When we say hereditary, it means you can get it from your preceding generations. There is no known cure for osteoarthritis. We can only attempt to slow down its progress.
15:51 Sudha Kathuria: Thanks doctor, but can we reduce its effect by making changes in our food habits and daily regime?
15:55 Dr Abhay Dandawate: Osteoarthritis commonly affects the knees. One can reduce the effects by keeping one’s weight under control. Walking, as I said, is a good exercise and does not deteriorate the joints. There are now supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, which are found to be useful. No other dietary foods affect it.
15:55 Subhasis Bose: I am over 45 and suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear while playing, six months ago. Through exercise, I am trying to get back to normal. If I need to go for ACL reconstruction, please confirm if there is an age limit and whether delaying it for two to three years will be problematic.
15:58 Dr Abhay Dandawate: There is no age limit for doing the ACL surgery. It is necessary to get it done if you see the symptoms of giving way of the joint and if you desire to pursue an active lifestyle. The surgery can be delayed, but one must perform muscle strengthening exercises while one is still deciding about surgery.
15:59 Ishrath Hafeez: Four months ago, my vitamin D level was below 3. I was getting better with injections and oral medications, but for the past few days, I am having pain in my shoulders and fingers, in fact, almost all my joints. On some days, my whole body hurts, but I do not have any fever or swelling in my joints. Is this pain related to my vitamin D levels?
16:02 Dr Abhay Dandawate: It could be related to your vitamin D deficiency. But after treatment if you still continue to get joint pain, then you have to rule out causes of multiple joint pains such as rheumatoid or rheumatoid like arthritis, which can be diagnosed with blood tests. It is important to maintain a balanced lifestyle combined with a good diet and some exercise to eliminate a vast majority of joint aches, back and neck pain. Those are the factors that we can control.
-The writer is a trainee with Gulf News.
