To be clear, the term arthritis simply means joint pain. In this blog we will be referring to the most common type of arthritis called osteoarthritis. Oftentimes we hear the word arthritis and we think it’s a death sentence for our lifestyle and that it’s all downhill from there. We hear that there is no cure, that there is degeneration in the joint, or that we should rest in order to avoid joint replacement. The reality is that arthritis is a common (but not inevitable) process in an aging joint, we have tools to manage the symptoms of arthritis and we can still lead a healthy, active lifestyle despite what an x-ray might say.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects the cartilage and the connective tissues in and around the joint. We have three kinds of cartilage in the body and the cartilage most affected by osteoarthritis is the cartilage that lines the end of our bones. When this cartilage wears thin (caused by a multi-factorial equation of lifestyle habits, genetics and activity levels) it exposes the end of the bone. The end of the bone is highly sensitive with many nerve endings and therefore weight becomes our primary weight bearing surface, which can cause inflammation, swelling and pain.
There is a sliding scale of severity when it comes to osteoarthritis. This is only visualized on an x-ray but does not always correlate with the symptoms you’re feeling. The scale includes mild, moderate and severe. Severe is often synonymous with the term ''bone on bone”, which suggests very little space within the joint has been maintained. This visual is often correlated with high levels of pain, declining function, and eventually requiring surgical intervention. We will be talking mostly about mild to moderate arthritic joints where we have a high level of success modifying symptoms to reduce pain and restore function.
The “DOs” when living with arthritis:
Strength training: building up strength in the muscles around a joint supports your body during weight bearing and therefore decreases the loading through a painful joint. It is helpful to be guided by a professional as there are certain exercises and ranges of motion that are likely to be uncomfortable. It is important to find exercises that you can perform that fatigue your muscles, but do not cause pain.
Receive treatment for pain management: Although it is true that we can not “cure” or get rid of arthritis, we have many tools to manage the symptoms of arthritis. Symptoms of arthritis often include joint stiffness, pain, aching. Here at BSC, we use modalities and techniques including ART, dry needling, Graston technique, Class IV Laser, chiropractic adjustments, massage and physical therapy which all can reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Class IV laser therapy - Laser therapy has been shown to decrease pain levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis in just 6 weeks.
Maximize joint mobility by stretching without pain. Arthritis will cause joint stiffness, but we want to maintain soft tissue length the best we can. This means stretching to improve muscle length around the joints. The more normal your muscle length is, the more normal those muscles will function. Please note that stretching alone will not effectively combat arthritis.
Modify activity levels at least until pain is under control. We never like to take activities away from people so we will do everything we can before we eliminate things all together. This may require first reducing the frequency or duration of your current activities to see if we can find a sweet spot. If modifying current activities still causes increased pain, it may require you to find new activities to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Arthritis responds best to low impact activities like walking, swimming, cycling, yoga opposed to high impact activities like running and jumping.
Consult a nutritionist to see if you can lose weight in a healthy way. Reducing our weight can reduce stress and load on our joints and therefore reduce pain in arthritic areas.
The “DON’Ts” when living with arthritis:
DON’T exercise through pain that is more than a 3/10. Because arthritis is an inflammatory process, pushing through moderate to high levels of pain will only maintain the levels of inflammation in and around the joint which will accelerate the arthritic process and create more pain.
DON’T start high impact activity if it’s not something you have done in the past. Sometimes we can continue high impact activities at a modified level, frequency or duration, but becoming a runner after being told you have arthritis will not serve your arthritic joint. This will be especially detrimental if you’re not doing the strength training necessary to support your activity level.
DON’T stop activity all together. Arthritis does not mean we can’t move our body. Although we can’t get rid of arthritis in a joint, we can modify pain levels by building strength, restoring joint and tissue mobility to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. If we stop moving all together, we only get weaker, making our joints more susceptible to excessive loading and therefore more pain.
DON’T assume surgery is the only option. Surgery is a last resort for severe arthritic conditions that cause pain 24/7 and is unrelieved with other conservative treatments. We highly encourage exploring conservative options before pursuing surgical options.
If you’re experiencing joint pain or have even already been diagnosed with arthritis, this is not the end of the line for your healthy, active lifestyle! Schedule an appointment with one of our doctors to initiate a treatment plan and start managing your symptoms of arthritis. Looking forward to getting you back to what you love!