So, you just received the scary diagnosis of arthritis? Welcome to the club! Nearly everyone will have some sort of arthritis in their life. But, don't be scared!
Arthritis has many different names, that all mean the same thing. What we will be discussing today is the most general arthritis. These include:
Osteoarthritis
Degeneration
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative Joint Disease
All of the above represent the same condition. What these don't represent are: psoriatic, rheumatoid, juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Those are different, and are autoimmune in nature.
So..... what is arthritis?
Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease where the cartilage that cushions your joints starts to break down. This breakdown causes the bones to rub against each other. This is where it gets the name 'wear and tear'.
What causes your body to break down this cartilage? There are many factors:
Age: As we age, our discs and joint dehydrate, leading to less of this cushion
Injury: An injury can cause degeneration in the spine and joints. This is why we always recommend seeing a physical therapist or chiropractor after an injury
Obesity: Excessive weight on a joint can cause an increase in this breakdown
Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can contribute to degeneration
Decreased Stability and mobility: See below
Here is what most people don't know about arthritis:
When a joint starts degenerating, it loses its stability. Your body doesn't like that, so in response to this, your body lays down new bone to make it more stable. This new stability, usually sacrifices mobility. Meaning, when your body adds new bone/remodels the joint, it isn't able to move as much.
This is why people with advanced arthritis have less ranges of motion.
This is where the saying 'use it or lose it' comes into play.
I can not stress this enough, mobility is one of the major keys to preventing arthritis. A joint that is mobile helps maintain the joint's flexibility and helps reduce the stiffness. By keeping the joint mobile, we reduce the arthritic progression.
Same goes with strength training. The stronger your muscles are that surround the joint, the more stability and support that joint has, leading to less degeneration.
How to prevent or slow the progression of osteoarthritis:
Supplements: Supplements like fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM can help support your joints and keep them lubricated. They also help with inflammation.
Staying Active: Walk, lift weights, do Pilates, run, I don't care! Movement gets blood flow to our joints, it helps strengthen our joints, and can help that arthritis progression.
Maintain a Healthy Weight: My tips for healthy weight loss include increasing your daily steps, increasing your daily protein, and focus more on slow and steady weight loss. I know that losing weight can be hard, especially with a hormone or metabolic condition. I'd love to chat if that is you!
Working on Joint Mobility: I'm not talking about doing 10 toe touches and calling it good, but more of taking a joint through a whole range of motion. We do a lot of videos on our Instagram, you will have to check it out!
Seeing a Chiropractor: Ah, you thought I wouldn't mention chiropractic care?? While it is not going to make a massive difference, most agree that getting regular adjustments can help with joint mobility, which can then in turn help with arthritis. It is not going to fix it, or cure it, but it can help with joint mobility, which is key!
The bottom line: arthritis is not this super scary disease, it is just some wear and tear on your joints. It happens to everyone, and should not limit you! The goal is to work on prevention, which includes joint mobility, regular strengthen training, daily movement, and maintaining a healthy, active life.
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