When should you consult a doctor about knee pain? How much pain should you be in before seeing a knee specialist? Dr Santosh Sahanand, a knee specialist at Ortho-One Orthopaedic Speciality Centre in Coimbatore, answers your burning questions and explains a few prevention strategies for knee pain.

The first point to consider is the intensity of the knee pain that you are experiencing. “Some people come to us as soon as the pain starts. Such patients will come even if the pain is very minor while there are some who refuse to meet a doctor even if they are in excruciating pain. It is always preferable to be somewhere in between these two extremes,” says Dr Santosh. If you are in a lot of pain and you are unable to put weight on your legs, then you must see a doctor. It is best to find the underlying cause of the pain and get treatment as soon as possible.

The second critical factor is the length of time you have been experiencing knee pain. “If you have insignificant pain, then you do not need to see a doctor. However, if this minor pain persists for a few days, it warrants a visit to the doctor,” says Dr Santosh. When detected in its early stages, the underlying problem causing the knee pain is usually smaller and can be easily treated. This is especially true for conditions such as joint degeneration caused by wear and tear. According to Dr. Santosh, there is a good chance of preventing knee joint degeneration even before it begins, but only if the problem is identified in its early stages.

“The most common mistake people make is assuming that knee pain occurs only when the knee joint wears out. What they do not realize is that knee pain can occur for a variety of other reasons too,” Dr Santosh says. The knee is a complex joint made up of many cartilage and bush-like tissues, and any bruises or injuries to any of these tissues can cause knee pain. When these injuries are minor, rest and certain exercises can heal the condition on their own. However, if one continues to play or put stress on the injured knees, the injury will get bigger and the pain will worsen rather than heal completely.

Therefore, it is always better to identify what is the underlying cause of your knee pain so that appropriate treatment can be initiated. “However, this does not mean that you should see your doctor for every minor ailment or pain,” Dr Santosh cautions. A knee pain that has been bothering you for more than a week or two or a knee pain that is becoming more intense, should be shown to a knee specialist, and thoroughly investigated.

At the Ortho-One Orthopaedic Speciality Centre in Coimbatore, Dr.M.Shyam Sundar treats patients with shoulder, knee, and elbow injuries. He discusses rotator cuff tears and the consequences of disregarding your symptoms.
Understanding the anatomy of the shoulder joint and the rotator cuff’s function in its movement is necessary to comprehend rotator cuff tears. A ball and socket joint, the shoulder joint is also referred to as the glenohumeral joint. A group of muscles that make up a ligament cover the joint’s ball. This ligament’s primary job is to allow the shoulder joints to move, which allows us to lift our arms, move them to the side, rotate them above our heads, etc.
Since the rotator cuff is made up of several muscles, injuries are possible. This ligament tears with age due to wear and tear, but it can also tear with trauma or injury in younger people. If this ligament tears for any reason, it causes pain and makes it difficult to lift the arm. “At Ortho-One, we frequently see patients who have been experiencing shoulder pain for a considerable amount of time,” says Dr. Shyam. The majority of patients have difficulty lifting their arms, pain after sleeping on the painful side, or sharp, intense pain in a specific location when attempting to move an arm in a certain direction.
Dr. Shyam claims that because the shoulders are not weight-bearing joints like the knee, people frequently disregard any issues relating to this joint. Most people typically learn to live with the discomfort and carry on with their daily activities. According to Dr. Shyam, the more people ignore the pain and continue to use their shoulders, the larger the rotator cuff tear gets. This causes the discomfort and pain to worsen, which starts to interfere with daily activities. Finally, the shoulder joint degenerates as a result of the rotator cuff tear. This condition is known as rotator cuff arthropathy whose only treatment is surgical replacement of the shoulder. Dr. Shyam cautions, “Do not push yourself into this dire situation.
To repair a torn rotator cuff, there are numerous treatment options. Depending on the size and location of the rotator cuff tear, a shoulder specialist will choose the appropriate course of action. “Visit a shoulder specialist as soon as you start noticing the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear and discuss your options for treating it,” he advises people who have rotator cuff tears and are experiencing pain or difficulty lifting their arms as a result. You have a good chance of fully recovering your shoulder joint if you follow these instructions, and you can live a pain-free life.

The calf muscle is the primary group of muscles which bears the weight of the entire body and enables us to stand erect. They are the most active muscles helping our daily activity and tend to get tight. Women who stand and work in the kitchen for long hours often get calf muscle pain. As the muscle works both at the foot and knee, it can cause pain. Performing calf stretch regularly will be a preventive way to avoid such problems.

Though this condition is known as Tennis Elbow, this is not commonly seen in Tennis Players. It is also termed as elbow lateral epicondylitis. All age groups go through Tennis Elbow, especially the working class. It can occur either due to a single injury or repetitive work pattern. Usually one has pain along the outer aspect of the elbow (lateral epicondyle of the elbow). It occurs due to inflammation of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon. During the acute inflammatory phase, it is always advisable to take adequate rest with anti-inflammatory medications. Unfortunately, majority of the population do neglect treatment and continue working in spite of the pain. At one point of time the pain will become more severe and non-responsive to medication, but 60 percentage of initial pain will get healed completely over a period of one year.

Prithveen Rajan made a comeback to single seater formula racing after ten years making it to the podium in two races including a win!

2020 has been a challenging year in a manner unprecedented owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The world was under complete lock down while businesses took a hit, sporting events were cancelled and to top it all, the Olympics, the greatest multi discipline sporting event, symbolising the united spirit of humanity beyond man made boundaries and divisions stood cancelled.

Towards the end of the year, amidst a nationwide restoration of normalcy, I was approached by a team to take part in the National Championship in the Formula LGB 1300 category. I was more than happy to be part of a collective force in the sport’s resumption in our country after the unforeseen break, signing up for a drive with Kolkata Joba Racing team, backed by Ortho-One Orthopaedic Speciality Centre (Sports Medicine Partner), Chettinad Sporting (Race Tuner) and Orygen (Energy Bar Partner).