Motion Matters PT: Relieving Arthritis Pain

RELIEVING LOW BACK, HIP, &KNEE ARTHRITIS PAIN NEWSLETTER The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

INSIDE: • Relieve Hip Pain in Minutes • Patient Success Spotlight • Service Spotlight • Healthy Recipe

If you’re constantly facing lower back, hip and knee pain—you might be feeling the effects of arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly54.4millionU.S.adultsarediagnosedwithsome form of arthritis per year. As we age, our bones wear down. Are yours? If they are, don’t worry. It’s possible to alleviate the symptoms. It’s even possible toeliminate thementirely. Ifyouhave regularachesandpains, keep reading. We have a solution. What Is Arthritis, Exactly? Before knowing how to relieve arthritic pain, you’ll need to understand it. Arthritis—or the painful stiffness, or inflammation, of joints—isn’t a single disease. The term “arthritis” is an informal explanation of joint pain and disease in general. Over 100 types of arthritis exist, asserts the Arthritis Foundation. People of all ages, races and sex can get it. It’s also the leading cause of ongoing disability in America. What Causes Lower Back, Hip and Knee Arthritis? Because arthritis is a catch-all term, pinpointing what causes arthritis may be difficult. In most cases, arthritis is caused by injuries. These injuries degenerate tissues in our body such as bones, joints and cartilage, resulting in the pain. Arthritis can also be caused by: • Infections, such as Lyme disease causing chronic inflammation • An immune system dysfunction, leading to chronic inflammation such as Rheumatoid arthritis

• Genetic factors contributing to wear and tear of Osteoarthritis • Changes in metabolism, such as elevated uric acid which can lead to Gout Once the inflammatory process has started many activities such as walking can aggravated symptoms in the lower back, hip and knees. When chronic inflammation is present and if there is weakness in the muscles, more strain is placed on the joint which can lead to further wearand tear. This iswhyexerciseand interventionssuchasPhysical Therapy can be very helpful to reducing the effects of arthritis. When muscles are stronger there is less loading or pressure on the joints of our body. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, often termed as wear and tear of a joint. It occurs most in our weight bearing joints suchas the lowback,hips,kneesandankles. When thecartilage– the slick, cushioning surface on the ends of bones – wears away, bone rubs against bone, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, joints can lose their cartilage and pain may become chronic. Risk factors include excess weight, family history, age and previous injury (an anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tear, for example).

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