‘Wear and Tear’ & Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis or OA is sometimes called Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). This is because it is a slow process of degeneration of the bone and surrounding soft tissues. It is a process often associated with growing older, but can also start sooner after an injury or disease
It is very likely that we will all experience some form of Osteoarthritis at some point in our lives. Wear and tear is a normal thing, however it can become a problem if it stops our joints moving normally or impinges on everyday activities.
Years of participation in different activities, for example, can lead to certain areas being more prone to Osteoarthritis, such as the knee or neck amongst both gardeners and rugby players, or the hips amongst both drivers and athletes.
Although plan ‘A’ is not possible (ie: remove the osteoarthritis changes altogether), plan ‘B’ is the next best thing: getting the joints gently moving again and regaining lost strength.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Symptoms you may experience with wear and tear or osteoarthritis are wide and varied from one person to the next. The following are the more common ones:
- Stiffness
- Dull aching or sharp pains
- Morning pain and stiffness
- Loss of movement
- Tender joint area
- Gradual worsening of symptoms over months or years
- ‘Clunking’ or ‘creaking’ of the joint
- Joint swelling
- Limping or can’t bear weight evenly
- Joint redness
- Changes in the joint shape/ contours
What to do if you have Osteoarthritis
What to do if you have Osteoarthritis
Heat can get the joint moving better first thing in the morning and relieve that early morning stiff feeling around the area in question. Applying an ice pack to the region AFTER overuse or at the end of the day can calm the aggravation and inflammation (see “Why I need to Ice?“).
Studies have shown that resting too much and not using the joint can actually INCREASE the rate at which the joint is worn. We recommend that you book in with a member of our chiropractic team whose aim will be to get your joints functioning as best as is possible as soon as possible by using gentle joint mobilisation/ manipulation, soft tissue techniques, and a variety of progressive simple exercises for home and at work.
Get you out of pain… Anyone who visits our clinic will always, above all else, receive a full and thorough assessment. Furthermore, we will give ou a clear and honest explanation as to what we believe is causing your pain and what the best course of action is to get things back on track. Our aim is to get you back to your best as quickly as possible, using specific mobilisations, gentle manipulation and a wide variety of soft tissue therapies. Dry needling is also used where appropriate. We will also give you a summary of your initial visit so that you have a record to take home.
Keep you out of pain…. Our clinical team pride themselves on preventative care. We will always prescribe a completely personalised ‘home help’ program to ALL patients who visit the clinic. This is essential to make the best and most long lasting recovery. We aim to put you in control, so we can both achieve the most permanent solution possible! Call the clinic today for an appointment on 01452309372 or to chat with a member of the team.
