Springtime offers opportunity to evaluate joint pain
April 8, 2024
Bon Secours offers new tool to assess options
For many, joint pain is a fact of life. Often these conditions create significant hurdles in the enjoyment of ever day living.
In fact, studies show 90% of Americans with osteoarthritis end up suffering with joint pain for extended periods when a knee replacement could vastly improve their quality of life. Additionally, a lack of mobility due to pain often leads to other health issues, including weight gain and depression.
“People often think that they should postpone getting a joint replacement because they believe that they will have to go through it again,” said Dr. Stephen Ridgeway, an orthopedic surgeon with Bon Secours Piedmont Orthopaedics. “But while these patients wait for the perceived right time, they could be living with unnecessary pain.”
More than 30 million adults in the US suffer from osteoarthritis, which is the most common cause of chronic joint pain and can be brought on by age, joint injuries, genetics, or weight. Osteoarthritis is the result of the breakdown of the joint cartilage, causing the underlying bone to change. Because there is no cure, osteoarthritis is treated with physical therapy, medications, and possibly surgery.
Most joint replacements occur in patients between the age of 60 and 80, however, factors such as the severity of pain and level of disability influence the decision to undergo joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Ridgeway noted patients who don’t regularly visit their doctor are often left to guess when their symptoms should lead to action. He suggests a joint risk assessment can remove some of the guesswork.
To better help patients, and the community, understand the true impact of joint pain symptoms on their quality of life, Bon Secours is offering an online health risk assessment tool, which is available to anyone at no cost. The tool empowers users to explore their unique circumstances and offers possible options for treatment, self-care, and/or lifestyle changes.
Here’s how it works: After collecting general data about the user such as age and activity level, the assessment will ask questions about the level and frequency of pain experienced while doing daily tasks and routine activities. The user will then receive a detailed recommendation tailored to their specific circumstance. There will also be follow up from Bon Secours if the user requests it, but personal medical information is never shared.
Head to bonsecours.com for more information on joint pain and the treatment options available at Bon Secours or take the joint risk assessment at bonsecours.com/GreenvilleJointQuiz.
About Bon Secours – Greenville
Bon Secours St. Francis is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), one of the 20 largest health systems in the United States and the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country. The ministry’s quality, compassionate care is provided by more than 60,000 associates serving communities in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as throughout Ireland. Bon Secours Mercy Health provides care for patients more than 11 million times annually through its network of more than 1,200 care sites, which includes 49 hospitals. In 2023, BSMH provided more than $600 million dollars in community investments across five states, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to health care for our patients in need. Locally, Bon Secours St. Francis provides compassionate medical care to thousands of area residents through Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown and Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside, as well as a network of primary and specialty care practices, and ambulatory care sites across the Greenville region. The mission of Bon Secours St. Francis is to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. For more information, visit BonSecours.com.
