What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that most commonly effects the following joints: hips, knees, spine, hands, and feet. The condition impacts the structure and function of the whole joint, including the cartilage, bone, joint capsule, and fluid within the joint.
Some of the joint changes that occur are:
- Thinning of the cartilage
- Increased friction at the bones’ surfaces
- Reduction in viscosity of the joint’s fluid
- Joint space narrowing
- Bone remodelling & overgrowth
- Increased inflammation
The osteoarthritic changes can lead many people to experience reduced joint mobility, bony joint enlargement, swelling, increased joint stiffness in the morning, and deep aching pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest.
How Can Osteopathy Help You Manage your Symptoms?
Osteopathy is a healthcare modality that focuses on assessing and treating the body as a whole and not just the symptomatic region. The ultimate goal is to optimize a person’s health by addressing the interaction of the musculoskeletal, nervous, vascular, and lymphatic systems.
Your osteopath will aid in your OA symptom management by using a variety of manual therapy techniques (e.g. soft tissue massage, joint articulation/mobilisation, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, etc.) as well as lifestyle and exercise advice.
The osteopathic treatment approach helps to:
- Maintain joint mobility
- Reduce tissue tension
- Increase circulation to reduce swelling and inflammation
- Improve joint lubrication and nourishment
- Improve the mechanics of the body to support the effected joint(s)
Your osteopath can also help individuals’ recovery and maintenance after surgery, especially with hip and knee replacements.
Contact 121 Wellness for an osteopathic assessment and/or free screening to see if osteopathy is right for you!
