Repetitive motions and joint injuries can cause premature arthritis, which inhibits the body’s ability to repair cartilage and causes painful bumps on the joints. Treatment options include anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery, and joint replacement. Risk factors include obesity, joint injuries, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Early symptoms of arthritis can develop from repetitive motions that place excessive stress on the cartilage in the joints and from injuries that damage the joints. Damage to large or small joints inhibits the body’s ability to repair cartilage that wears down too quickly. It can cause painful bumps to grow on the joint, called premature arthritis or degenerative arthritis.
Cartilage releases enzymes that help rebuild it to replace tissue consumed by normal activity. After a joint injury, an imbalance of enzymes causes the cartilage to break down faster than the body can repair it. This could leave rough spots between bones, which could eventually erode completely, causing bone to rub against bone.
Premature arthritis is most visible on the hands and feet, especially when the fingers and toes are affected. The joints may appear misshapen, with large protruding bumps on the sides of the joints. One or more joints of the hand or foot may be affected. The condition can also appear in the knee, spine, or hip.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis. Doctors commonly treat arthritis with anti-inflammatory drugs that can also control pain. Ointments and creams that are applied topically to the joint may also offer pain relief for some patients. When premature arthritis symptoms are severe, steroids injected into the joint can reduce discomfort for several months in some patients. Antidepressants might also help reduce depression for those living in ongoing pain.
Surgery is another option for those with premature arthritis that can’t be controlled with medication. Surgeons can remove bony growths from joints and realign the bones to reduce the amount of abrasion. Joint replacement surgery is another option to correct the condition.
Minor or serious injury to a joint can lead to premature arthritis symptoms that could become disabling. When a bone fractures in a fall, accident, or sports injury, it can heal incorrectly and cause uneven wear of the cartilage. Symptoms of premature arthritis affecting the knee usually result from damaged ligaments that keep the joint from moving smoothly. This is a common injury seen in people who play contact sports.
Several factors can increase your risk of developing arthritis symptoms prematurely. Obesity, especially in people over the age of 45, can lead to osteoarthritis. Anyone who has injured a joint or has rheumatoid arthritis is at an increased risk of developing premature arthritis symptoms at a young age. Gout, a condition in which the body produces too much uric acid, could also lead to degenerative disease of the affected joint.
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