Do You Feel Stiff and Achy?

Answer these questions:

1. Do your joints feel stiff and achy, especially in the mornings or after long periods of sitting or lying down?
2. Do you experience pain in your joints during or after activity?
3. Do you feel a grating sensation when you use that joint?
4. Are there hard lumps, or bone spurs, surrounding your joint?
5. Do you envy people that seem to be able to move effortlessly with lots of energy?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then it is possible you may be developing something called osteoarthritis.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a condition that develops when the cartilage between two bones degenerates. Cartilage serves as a buffer between the bones of joints, absorbing shock and enabling the joint to glide smoothly.

When this cartilage is broken down, the bones rub against each other creating that grating sensation that you sometimes feel. The stress from this bone-on-bone interaction can cause bone spurs to form around the joints, decreased range of motion, and increasing stiffness and pain.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis occurs gradually over time. Factors that increase the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis are:

• being overweight,

• having a history of a joint injury,

• getting older,

• genetic cartilage deficiencies,

• occupations that require repetitive motions and stresses on the joints. e.g. sports, construction

Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint, however it most commonly is seen in the hands, knees, hips, and spine.

How is Osteoarthritis Best Treated?

Exercise and pain management are the main goals of osteoarthritis treatment.

At Root Cause Medical, our Physical Therapy department uses manual therapy and modalities (e.g. Ice, heat, e-stim, ultrasound) to decrease pain caused by osteoarthritis. Exercise has been clinically proven to increase synovial fluid (fluid between joints) production which lubricates the joint, therefore leading to smoother joint motion, increased range of motion, and flexibility.

Exercise also improves overall health, and along with a healthy diet, can decrease body weight in overweight individuals. Weight reduction reduces the likelihood of osteoarthritis developing and progressing. A combination of aerobic and strength-building exercises yields the best results.

Root Cause Medical’s Physical Therapy department will customize an exercise program to meet your individual goals and stop osteoarthritis from progressing. Working in tandem with Root Cause Medical’s Clinical Nutrition department, we can get to the root cause of any inflammation and stop it in its tracks as well. Too often individuals put up with pain and stiffness, simply ‘chalking it up to’ age. This is not the truth. The passage of time does not necessarily have to lead to decreased function and mobility. Especially when you’re talking about body’s that are under 80 years old! Don’t put up with feeling less than your best.