Although arthritis is a condition which generally affects old age, there are many instances when patients at a young age can present with symptoms of arthritis, which includes joint pain, joint swelling, painful walking.

Arthritis affecting young age can be the result of:

1. Previous trauma-previous injuries, for example, fractures affecting the joint, dislocation, ligament injury etc. can lead to cartilage damage and early arthritis.
2. Malalignment – patient with abnormal shape of the legs, which can sometimes be attributed to growth problems in the leg can cause early damage to the joint.
3. Rheumatoid arthritis

Patients present with pain on weight-bearing, swelling, stiffness and a reduced range of movement of the joint.  All this affect their mobility.  They are unable to participate in sports or other physical activities and it can severely affect their quality of life.

The treatment of arthritis in young patients is complicated by the fact that joint replacement surgery is often out of question because young patients have increased demands on the joint and therefore can lead to early failure of joint replacement.

Under these circumstances, joint preservation surgery, which is an upcoming subspecialty is employed. Depending on individual circumstances, various techniques which could be used include-correcting the alignment of the leg, restoring or repairing the cartilage inside the joint, partial resurfacing of the damaged areas of the joint, cartilage regeneration.

Your surgeons at OSS have immense experience in treating these patients. They have years of experience in joint preservation techniques and therefore, are able to guide you towards the best and most effective treatment for your condition.