Degeneration and Osteoarthiritis

Tales From The Treatment Room…..
You have likely heard these terms, and they can seem pretty scary, but they are really just technical terms for wear and tear of the joints, the most common areas are the areas that take the most weight/load. Such as our knees, hips and low back. But unfortunately, even our necks, shoulders and hands are not spared.

So what exactly is Degeneration/Osteoarthritis?
It is the wearing down of our protective cushion (cartilage) which covers the end of the bone, and this can lead to an increase in friction and irritation of the joint(s). It varies in severity from mild degeneration to severe degeneration, and it is worth noting that the severity of osteoathritis does not always correlate with the symptoms/pain perceived. It happens to all of us as we age, but some of us are lucky to be symptom free and it can be dependent on lifestyle/occupation and even has a hereditary factor.

 
So what can be done?
Well firstly it is worth understanding that it is not the end of the world, it does not mean that you will never be able to do the things that you once enjoyed. Movement is actually beneficial for our ‘joints’, even if it has to be slightly modified.

 
For example we all know the benefits of walking but instead of one 1 hour stroll, three 20 minute walks in a day are likely to be more beneficial for degeneration of our low backs. Physiotherapy/Osteopathy can help, as although we cannot change the bone, we can use a variety of techniques to increase the lubricating fluid in our joints. We can help by stretching and relaxing the surrounding muscles, this reduces pressure on the joint as its not being held so tight and the bones wont “grind” as much.

 
Also addressing and helping to correct your posture will be beneficial, for an example this would mean not as much force is being applied to one hip compared to the other, as this would lead to excess wear and tear on the one side.

 
Some strengthening exercises can help to keep the body in alignment and again reduce the load on the affected joint, as this really is the key to managing Osteoarthritis. Attempting to keep the joint with maximal range of motion and pain free is what we strive to achieve.

 
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the clinic.

 

John Van-Herbert
Osteopathic manual practitioner