ARTHRITIS, OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA, OSTEOARTHROSIS)
The body, as it ages undergoes changes and loses some of its elasticity and ability to adapt. Arthritis or Osteoarthritis occurs most commonly in the lower back and neck among other weight bearing joints, but can affect any joint in the body. Arthritis / OsteoArthritis (OA, Osteo Arthrosis) is a condition that is a result of thinning and eventual wearing away of cartilage tissue that covers the ends of bones. Cartilage is crucial to any joint, providing a porcelain type surface that prevents any friction occurring. With age, and continuous wear and tear of the joint it is common, the cartilage erodes away leaving exposed bone tissue. This can be extremely painful leading to other mechanical and postural disturbances. Arthritis of the knee, hip, spine, neck, fingers can all lead to joint and muscle strains elsewhere in the body. Feelings of stiffness, dull aching, sharp pain are all very common with Arthritis pain.
WHAT PRACTITIONER AT THE AARK CLINIC SHOULD I SEE FOR ARTHRITIS?
Osteopaths spend most of their time dealing with patients suffering with Arthritis / Osteoarthritis. Whilst the degenerative damage caused by arthritis is irreversible, the pain and symptoms of Osteoarthritis can be greatly alleviated. You dont have to put up with the pain, in many cases, your Osteopath can considerably improve your Arthritis symptoms enabling you to live life to the full. Most of the ‘pain’ associated with Osteoarthrosis often comes from the surrounding soft tissues of the joints. Osteopathic care is aimed at these tissues and can greatly improve the symptoms, with sometimes immediate results. Osteopathic care aims to increase the range of movement at the these affected joints and surrounding tissues in order to slow down the degeneration, aswell as improve circulation, immune function and dietary advice to ensure healthy bones. With treatment, patients often find range of movement improves and pain levels drop to a more manageable level.
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AUTHOR: LLOYD TILNEY BOst PRINCIPLE OSTEOPATH AT THE AARK CLINIC
In terms of fluids in the body and being as healthy as can be, an analogy I always like to use is ‘Are you a flowing river or stagnant pond?’….
Fluids in the body such as blood, synovial fluid in joints, lymphatic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid are constantly bathing our cells every minute of the day. These fluids provide all the much needed nutrients required by the body to maintain ‘homeostasis’ (internal stability or equilibrium).
The body needs a steady supply of these nutrients in order to keep every single cell ‘stable’, replenished and functioning properly.
Which brings me back to my analogy, ‘Are you a flowing river or a stagnant pond?’
If you are someone that leads an active lifestyle;
- Engages in some sort of exercise that elevates your heart rate to between 120-140 beats per minutes, 3-5 times a week.
- Also engages in some degree of strength training activity 1-2 times per week.
- Eats 5-6 meals a day small portions of healthy clean food.
- Stretches 1-3 times a day
- actively tries to reduce stress levels when appropriate
- Drinks 1.5-2 litres of water a day
Then, you would be regarded as a ‘flowing river’!!!
You are constantly flushing your body full of new nutritious fluid and draining all unwanted debris away. Nutritious blood is flowing through your cardiovascular system, to your organs and brain, keeping it strong and full of vitality.
If you are someone that has a sedentary lifestyle;
- Maybe smokes, reducing cellular activity all over the body, clogging up cells with 1000’s of toxins.
- Over indulges with alchohol
- Doesn’t engage in activity 3-5 times per week.
- Doesn’t engage in any strength training 1-2 times per week
- Eats an unhealthy diet full of carbohydrates / sugar
- Does not drink the recommended 1.5-2 litres of water per day
Then, you would be regarded as a ‘stagnating pond’…
The fluids in your body are not flushing through your system, supplying nutrients to every cell when required. Decaying debris, old necrotic tissue, toxins and waste products are lingering around in the interstitial fluids where they can cause damage and prevent cell replenishment. Your cardiovascular system is weak, potentially clogged up with cholesterol plaque (atherosclerosis) which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, aneurysm, angina etc. You may get out of breath at the mildest of exercise….
There’s not a soul in the world that would want to be a stagnating pond, and the great thing is, that the body is always ready and willing to blossom into a full flowing river, full of life raring to go and take on whatever life throws at it!!!!
Always remember this phrase….it always helps me to motivate myself to be as fit as possible in order to live a long and healthy life. AUGUST 1 2011
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