Dr. Osep Armagan: Is Your “Health Routine” Helping or Killing You?

 

 

 

Dr. Osep Armagan is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon. For 15-years he has helped hundreds of people suffering from injury and disease regain their health.  Specialty trained in all aspects of Sports Medicine, Foot & Ankle Disorders and Bone & Joint Disease. Besides his private practice, he serves as team physician for High School, Collegiate & Professional Athletic Programs.

 

Jogging, weight-lifting, sports, hand- fuls of vitamin & health supplements and reading, I-never-want-to-get-old research doesn’t seem to get the job done for the 40-70 crowd these days.  Sure, there are some who fly under the radar and say they feel 20 when they’re 70, but for the majority of us stress, no regular exercise program, non-stop schedules, iffy eating habits and over- work have taken a toll.  What didn’t bother us at 30 is kicking our butts now.    I spoke to one of the premier Sports Medicine and Orthopedic surgeons in LA., Dr. Osep Armagan for answers.

CHRONIC BODY PAIN

ST: Everyone I know suffers with a painful body part.  It seems the more we Baby Boomers exercise and try to get healthy…the more we are NOT.   

OA:  Joint, hip, hand, elbow, knee, spine, neck, foot, ankle, shoulder pain; it’s all caused by one thing; Wear and tear arthritis. And there’s no escaping it the older we get.  The source of a patient’s pain and joint immobility is always exercise-related or age-related and both occur after years of bone, joint and muscle abuse brought on with continual pressure on the cartilage of a joint.  Torn pieces of cartilage fill with scar tissue and the joint begins to deteriorate.  These ‘unseen injuries’ go on silently for years building up until they start causing pain and immobility.

SYMPTOMS NOT TO IGNORE

NECK: The majority of neck problems are caused by wear and tear on the cervical spine and as we age they become painful.  Unfortunately, most are a normal part of aging.  Neck move- ment builds neck strength which both   posture and over-all body alignment.

SPINE: Disc disease is caused by stress and strain.  Scar tissue develops causing connective tissue holding the discs to lose their ability to absorb shock for the spine.  Unfortunately, no medication exists that will cure neck and back pain. there are medications, however, that will bring down inflammation that will help with pain. Physical Therapy, injections or surgery are options.

HIP: Symptoms of a degenerative hip joint start with pain as you bear down.  A limp takes pressure off the hip, but soon range of motion is affected and people find it very painful and almost impossible to walk.  Hip joint bones are covered and protected by cartilage and a lining that produces a lubricant that offers easy motion, strength and elasticity for movement.  Hip replace- ment surgery isn’t necessary for every- one.  Blood tests and X-rays determine cause and amount of degeneration.  

SHOULDER, WRIST, HAND, FINGERS:  Arthritis is the culprit behind shoulder,  wrist, hand, finger pain, immobility and degeneration.  Age, injury, heredity and stress also play a part.  The outcome damages cartilage, impairs movement, causes stiffness, pain, loss of motion mobility and inflammation that affects surrounding tendons and muscles.  X-rays pinpoint joint damage, and detail the amount of cartilage left in the joint.    

 

EXERCISE: SOLUTION OR CAUSE for WEEKEND WARRIORS 

ST: What part does exercise play in body, bone and joint deterioration?

OA: Everything!  As we get older we have to exercise to get ready to exercise, and few people do it.  A good portion of my patients tend to be Weekend  Warriors.  They go from zero to 100; go out and jump into exercise and 

don’t bother to warm up or do any strength or stretching to prepare for the muscle overuse and repetitive exercise.  They end up worse than when they started.  Here are a few  simple guide- lines to make certain that your exercise routine adds—not limits your ongoing health.

1.  Stretch your muscles before you start any exercise no matter what it is (golf, tennis, jogging, swimming, weight- lifting, basketball—you get the idea).     

2.  Joggers:  No more than 5 miles a day.

Best are Elliptical and Nautilus machines on which there is no trauma to joints.  A three-day a week exercise plan can incorporate both aerobic for burning calories  and weight-training for toning.

3.  NO FREE WEIGHTS.  Free weights stress your heart more than Elliptical and Nautilus machines.  The draw back to free weights as you age is if you have Coronary Artery Disease, free weights can lead to a heart attack or stroke.    

4.  Have a pre-exercise screening physical to determine how much plaque you have in your heart.  Signs that you are over- stressing your heart during exercise include, shortness of breath, severe pain in the chest and palpitations.  STOP.  This does not include rehabilitation exercises.  Check with your physician.

5.  Stick to food for your nutrients.  A one-a-day multi-vitamin does best.  No medical evidence exists that handfuls of vitamins, supplements or any joint rehabilitation drinks make a difference.  Some people say they do, others taking the same supplements—say they don’t.      

Osep E. Armagan, M.D.

Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgery

805.501.9466

For Information or Questions:

Email: oseparmagan@ymail.com