Dilapidated roads main cause of rising backache, joint pain cases

Experts say most incidents are reported by young men, especially motorcyclists

KARACHI:

Rheumatologists have registered an "unusual increase" in the number of patients suffering from backache and joint pain which, they believe, was due to the terrible condition of city roads which worsened further after the monsoon rains.

Over the past six months, a large number of young people, especially bikers, have complained of backache and joint pain, they said.

According to a conservative estimate, there has been a 30% increase in cases of back and hip pain over this time period.

At a medical camp recently set up at Karachi Press Club, doctors examined journalists and found that 90 per cent of them suffered from backache and hip pain. The camp was jointly organised by Pak-American Arthritis Centre and Ehed Medical Centre.

More than 100 journalists and their families were examined at the camp where various medical tests were also conducted.

Present at the camp were the managing director of Pak American Arthritis Center, Dr. Saleha Ishaq, along with Dr. Samira Ghani, medical director of Ehed Medical Center, Dr. Faraz Hashmi and others.

Dr. Saleha Ishaq said that it is a common global practice that while constructing roads, their durability is taken into consideration. In many countries, the roads built in 1950 are still in good shape, but in Karachi, roads get washed away every year during rains. The roads built last year in the city were washed away in rains a few months ago. The condition of the roads is very bad, which is causing backache and joint pain among citizens, especially bikers. There has been a 30% increase in such complaints over the last 6 months.

A large number of young people, especially bikers, are suffering from back and hip pain, he said, adding that people of all age groups, including children, are affected by the bad roads.

Earlier, joint pain complaints were more common among women, but now a large number of men, especially young people, complain of back pain, he said.

It is a common practice globally that the names of contractors and companies are placed on the roads they build, he said, adding that the Sindh government should also put up the nameplates of the contractors and companies on the roads. He suggested that the contractors using poor quality material should be banned.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2022.