NEW DELHI: Shalini (name changed), a 35-year-old city-based model, suddenly felt severe pain in her ankle one day. Shalini, who has been associated with modelling for the past seven years, consulted doctors, who recommended rheumatology, which brought her to Dr Uma Kumar at AIIMS Delhi, a specialist in the field.
Dr Uma told The New Indian Express that when the patient came to her, she had complained of acute pain in the knees, ankles and toes.
“She was advised to undergo certain tests to examine the cause of the pain, including a calcium test. However, it was found that she neither suffered from calcium deficiency nor a thyroid problem. Later, more tests were recommended, which revealed that the patient had osteoarthritis,” she said.
Dr Uma noted that osteoarthritis was usually associated with old age, but nowadays youngsters too were suffering from it due to one reason— wearing high heels.
“The patient was found to be wearing high heels for the past eight years owing to her profession. And women, especially those below 40, are coming to AIIMS with joint pain-related issues caused due to wearing of high heels. If ignored, these may lead to severe health problems which might need surgery to be cured,” Dr Uma noted.
Osteoarthritis, one of the most common chronic and long-lasting joint conditions, is caused by joint damage, in which the cartilage breaks down, causing the bones in the joint to rub together.