Appropriate Weight, Sufficient Rest, Comfortable Shoes... Orthopedic Society Announces '7 Lifestyle Rules' to Protect Joint and Spine Health

Orthopedic Diseases That Have Increased the Most in the Last 5 Years
Osteoporosis > Shoulder Disorders > Other Spinal Diseases in Order

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Korean Orthopaedic Association announced on the 22nd the "7 Lifestyle Rules for Joint and Spine Health." In addition, it reported the incidence trends of major orthopaedic diseases over the past five years and identified issues based on the current status of orthopaedic fees, proposing directions for improvement.

Kim Myung-gu, president of the Korean Orthopaedic Association, explained at a press conference that "With the advent of a super-aged society, the number of orthopaedic patients, including those with musculoskeletal degenerative diseases, is increasing not only among the elderly but across all age groups." He added, "Against this background, we reviewed recent trends in major orthopaedic diseases and announced seven lifestyle rules to protect joint and spine health after COVID-19."

The seven lifestyle rules announced by the association are: ▲ Take sufficient rest to allow joints and spine to recover ▲ Maintain an appropriate body weight ▲ Wear comfortable shoes that fit your feet ▲ Practice an active lifestyle including weight-bearing exercises ▲ Remove fall hazards at home ▲ Take an adequate amount of vitamin D ▲ Do not endure joint and spine pain; get examined by an orthopaedic specialist.

Among orthopaedic diseases, osteoporosis showed the largest increase in patient numbers over the past five years (2016?2021), rising by 31%. Last year, the number of inpatients and outpatients with osteoporosis exceeded 1.12 million. Following that, shoulder lesions ranked second, and other spinal disorders including spinal stenosis ranked third. Shoulder lesion patients increased by 19%, and other spinal disorder patients increased by 16%.

The number of inpatients and outpatients with other disc disorders, including lumbar disc herniation (herniated disc), and knee osteoarthritis steadily increased until 2019 but decreased in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began, then returned to an upward trend last year. Other disc disorders experienced the largest decrease in inpatient and outpatient numbers due to COVID-19.

Ha Yong-chan, public relations commissioner of the Korean Orthopaedic Association, analyzed, "The decrease in inpatient and outpatient numbers for herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and knee osteoarthritis during the COVID period seems not due to an actual reduction in patients but rather because elderly patients, who constitute a large proportion, visited hospitals less frequently." He added, "On the other hand, osteoporosis and shoulder lesions continued to increase because these patients did not have mobility difficulties, so their hospital visits were less affected during the COVID period."

Meanwhile, the number of inpatients and outpatients with wrist and hand fractures decreased by 10% during the same period. Patients with single nerve disorders of the arm, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, decreased by 3%. Additionally, patients with acquired toe deformities such as hallux valgus decreased by 6%, and those with plantar fasciitis decreased by 2%.

Lee Jin-woo, director of the Korean Orthopaedic Association, emphasized, "Joint and spine diseases mainly present with pain in the lower back, neck, knees, and shoulders, but many people neglect these symptoms, leading to disease progression." He stressed, "Once pain occurs, it is important to promptly receive an accurate diagnosis and causal treatment from an orthopaedic specialist."

Meanwhile, the current status, issues, and improvement plans regarding orthopaedic fees were also discussed. The association pointed out low cost compensation for orthopaedic surgeries, poor investment due to classification of orthopaedic diseases as mild or simple, and difficulties in recruiting professors. Han Seung-beom, insurance commissioner of the Korean Orthopaedic Association, suggested, "In addition to supplementing orthopaedic fees and reimbursement standards, treatments that cannot be currently billed should be compensated at actual prices. Policies reflecting orthopaedic realities, such as designating surgeries for patients over 80 with internal diseases as specialized treatment disease groups, should be implemented to enable better patient care."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.