Arthritis research moving in the right direction
Kelly Barber takes a break after cycling to the top of Cypress Mountain in Vancouver in August 2011. A few years ago Kelly was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both hips. He had one hip replaced earlier this year and is waiting to have the other one replaced. He is still highly active and has not let arthritis slow him down.
Kelly Barber, 53, is a firefighter in Coquitlam, B.C. He works hard. He plays hard, too. He has been extremely fit throughout his life, playing hockey, carving moguls on the ski slopes, and logging endless kilometres on his road bike.
In his mid-forties Kelly started experiencing pain in both hips. After a few years the pain became severe and he sought medical attention. He was diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis, a condition that involves damage to the teflon-smooth cartilage lining the hip joint. Earlier this year, he underwent surgery to replace his damaged right hip. Kelly is now on the waiting list for replacement of his left hip. His advice now: be active, but in moderation.
Kelly is not alone. About 3 million Canadian have osteoarthritis, which most commonly affects the joints of the hips, knees, hands and spine. Hip osteoarthritis is responsible for nine out of ten hip replacements performed in Canada each year.
We don't know what causes hip osteoarthritis. Although there is evidence that suggests that people like Kelly who are extremely active or have physically demanding jobs are at higher risk for developing the condition. Evidence also suggests that certain types of physical activity and a newly discovered hip deformity called femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI, may contribute to hip pain and eventually osteoarthritis.
"By understanding what causes hip osteoarthritis, we will have moved a giant step closer to being able to prevent it," says Dr. John Esdaile, Scientific Director of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, who is studying the relationship between FAI, physical activity and hip osteoarthritis.
Dr. Esdaile is one of five CIHR-supported researchers that we are profiling in September for Arthritis Awareness Month:
- Dr. John Esdaile – Q&A: Examining the link between physical activity and hip osteoarthritis
- Dr. Linda Li – Bridging the gap: Utilizing new technology to put research to action
- Dr. Ciaran Duffy – Move it or lose it: Helping kids with arthritis become healthier and more active
- Dr. Aileen Davis – Improving patient care: Getting people back in motion
- Dr. Gillian Hawker – Shedding light on osteoarthritis: A chronic condition that cannot be ignored
The CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis is a leader in the arthritis research community. Working with its partners, the Institute supports research and knowledge translation activities.