The term arthritis covers many joint conditions. The symptoms are usually stiffness, reduced mobility and often (but not always) pain. Arthritis often appears after a long period of dysfunction and it can be a result of injury, wear and tear, autoimmune disorders or genetic predisposition.
Osteoarthritis is the commonest type of arthritis and is almost always the result of wear and tear. The cushion of cartilage between the joints gradually breaks down over time and the disc between the vertebrae becomes thinner. This leads to more pressure being applied to the facet joints, resulting in more friction and damage to the cartilage. You’ll more often notice pain or stiffness when you twist or bend your back because the damage is mechanical.
Misaligned Bones Cause Wear And Tear
As our chiropractors and physios will explain, if the bones are not in alignment with one another, they’ll almost certainly begin to grind against one another, leading to wear and tear. That pressure and the grinding that accompanies such misalignments will typically cause some level of dysfunction in the joints.
This can lead to possible degeneration of the surrounding bones and other skeletal structures and perhaps the development of osteophytes – better known as bone spurs.
Taking The Pressure Off Joints
Adjusting or manipulating the spine, as chiropractors do, can go a long way towards helping take the pressure off the joints and structures of the spine which, in turn, can decrease the development of arthritis in the spine and around the body as a whole. Movement-based care and exercises from our physio can help keep the joints of the body in alignment, help maintain their structural integrity, and help reduce any pressure build-up within the joints.
Here’s our video with some tips on managing arthritis:
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