Posts Tagged ‘osteoarthritis’
Knee X-ray
New research coming out of Tufts University School of Medicine had concluded that patients 65 years of age and over who suffer from knee osteoarthritis (OA), and who practice Tai Chi, increased their physical capability and experienced less pain. Osteoarthritis is a general form of arthritis that causes a wearing away of joint cartilage. Chiropractors help a large number men and women who have developed OA in a number of regions of the body, including the knee joints. knee pain and disability is one of the most widespread conditions of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal abnormalities. In fact, an astounding 4.3 million US adults over 60 years of age have been diagnosed with knee OA, according to the CDC, and it conjectures that half of the people in America may suffer from symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85. Knee OA causes pain, immobility, functional disabilities, and a diminished quality of life.
Are you wondering why so many adults develop OA? As with nearly all of the musculoskeletal conditions that we develop as we get older, undue stress to a joint over the years is a major determinant. Therefore, as people age they are more at risk for developing OA in their knees, as well as other joints. Improper function of the knee, improper gait, compensatory foot mechanics as the result of foot pain, and repetitive use of the knee joint all produce undue stress on the knees. Eventually arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. Most chiropractors advocate such natural, drug-free practices as Tai Chi, in addition to their chiropractic management. A traditional style of Chinese martial arts,Tai Chi features slow, rhythmic movements that produce mental relaxation, as well as an enhancement of balance, an augmentation of strength, and enhanced flexibility.
Though in good health otherwise, the 40 men and women with confirmed OA that were chosen for the Tufts study were, on average, 65 years of age and overweight. Participants were selected at random to participate in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi practice incorporates the kind of range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout that is consistent with contemporary exercise protocols for osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers found that the “mental aspect” of Tai Chi encouraged a sense of well-being, life satisfaction, and perceptions of health that assisted the participants in dealing differently with chronic pain. Compared with the control group, the group practicing Tai Chi experienced a considerable decrease in knee pain.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Does hip pain keep you up at night and make it hard to get a good night’s rest? When you get out of bed in the morning, or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it initially difficult to move your legs? Do you feel pain in one or both hips whenever you rotate or twist them or when you cross your legs? If you answered “yes” to any or all of the previous questions you are likely suffering from imbalances and alignment problems in your lower extremities that, in addition to causing hip pain, can in the course of time produce degenerative hip joint disease if not taken care of.
Though hip pain and related problems can frequently be traced to age-related degenerative conditions, particularly osteoarthritis of the hip joint, osteoarthritis isn’t always the perpetrator. In fact, rather than being the original cause of the problem, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be the end result of injury to your hips earlier.
Damage as the result of biomechanical issues, such as an ankle sprain or knee strain, can generate changes in your gait that create hip pain. Also, if you change jobs, alter the way you sit, take on a new sport or activity, or start driving for long periods of a regular basis, your gait may alter to compensate for these new changes.
In addition, gait asymmetries can be caused by carrying a baby or small child on your hip, leg length discrepancies, or foot pronation challenges. In other words, anything that generates an asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion can develop into painful hip problems.
As part of the chiropractic management of your hip problem, along with adjustments, your chiropractor may prescribe orthotics. Your chiropractor will also offer applicable progressive rehabilitative exercises that include muscle stretching and strengthening.
Hip pain won’t diminish on its own. Hip pain is a signal that something needs correcting. Your chiropractor can help to get you out of pain, get back into balance, and get your life back!