Bangalore, 2nd May 2025: Joint pain and spinal disorders are very common health issues among the elderly and middle-aged population in India. As life expectancy increases and lifestyle changes, conditions like osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and chronic back pain have seen a rise, impacting mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. Traditional surgical approaches, although effective, often require longer recovery and increased risk of complications, making it essential to explore advanced solutions. Recent innovations in medical technology, particularly the advent of robotic-assisted surgeries, have revolutionized how joint and spine disorders are being treated.
In this context, Manipal Hospital Varthur Road organized an interactive session on ‘Robotic Joint Replacements & Spine Surgeries – Transforming Lives’ on 2nd May 2025 under the banner of the “Know Your Doctor” initiative. The event allowed about 50+ neighbourhood residents to learn valuable insights on prevention of joint and spine issues, early intervention, and the benefits of robotic surgery from leading Orthopaedic and Spine experts.
Dr Rajesh Srinivas, Consultant – Orthopaedic Surgery, shed light on knee osteoarthritis (OA), a prevalent condition in older adults. He said, “Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition in older adults, where the cartilage in the knee joint wears down, causing pain and stiffness. It becomes more common as people age, with around 10-20% of individuals over 60 affected, and women are more likely to develop it. Risk factors include being overweight, having a history of joint injuries, a lack of physical activity, and certain jobs that stress the knees. While you can’t fully prevent OA, maintaining a healthy weight, staying active with low-impact exercises like walking or swimming, and protecting your knees during physical activities can help reduce the risk. Early treatment, such as physical therapy, medication, and weight management, can also help manage symptoms and prevent further damage.”
Addressing the common issue of low back pain, particularly among the elderly, Dr Ajay Kumar S P, Consultant – Spine Care, noted, “Low back pain is a common issue affecting millions worldwide, especially among the elderly. In the elderly, low back pain is mostly due to degenerative disc disease, lumbar arthritis, spinal stenosis, muscle strains, spinal fractures, and sometimes kidney issues and cancer can present as back pain. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention for critical symptoms like sudden, severe pain, numbness or tingling in the groin or glutes, leg weakness, incontinence, fever, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss. Prevention and management focus on maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, safe lifting techniques, stress management, and a combination of medication, physical therapy, alternative therapies, or surgery when necessary.”Talking about the role of robotics in joint replacement surgeries, Dr. Dinesh Manni, Consultant – Orthopedics, noted, “Robotics has brought a revolution in joint replacement surgeries. The minimal soft tissue release, precise bone cuts, accurate implant placement, minimal post-operative pain, faster recovery, and minimal hospital stay have led to the superiority of robotic joint replacement over conventional joint replacement surgeries. The future of robotic surgery is evolving for revision joint replacement and arthroscopic surgeries, which helps the surgeon and the patient for a better surgical outcome.”Adding to this, Dr. Shivakumar YS, Consultant – Orthopaedics, stated, “Robotic-assisted Total Knee Replacement (TKR) is a game changer in knee replacement surgery. It produces precision, early painless range of knee movements, restores original knee alignment to pre-arthritic level, and can be done to any age group, preferably between 50 years to 80 years, with no residual complications. The advantages of robotic TKR are less post-operative pain, early rehabilitation, and short stay in the hospital.”