MOtion is life

Osteoarthritis, often referred to as "wear and tear arthritis," is a hot topic commonly featured in periodicals such as Time Magazine. This condition is by far the most prevalent form of arthritis. Most articles focus on reactive measures such as drug interventions and surgical options to help deal with the problem once it has progressed to the point of becoming a diagnosable condition. A reactive strategy to osteoarthritis treatment is comparable to waiting until you have rust spots on your car before you attempt to do anything to protect your vehicle.

Some articles will discuss proactive measures such as exercise. This is a step in the right direction. It is true that motion is life. Joints that are not moving are going to break down more quickly. However, these articles fail to provide preventative measures that address the cause of the problem. Hopefully, this article will open your eyes to the importance of early detection of structural imbalances that are bound to lead to osteoarthritic changes down the road. Failure to correct these imbalances will result in repetitive trauma during exercise. Balancing your center of gravity will decrease the repetitive stress on your body and increase the benefits of an active lifestyle.

It is critical that you consider the cause of osteoarthritis. According to Dorland's Medical Dictionary, Wolff's Law states that "A bone develops the structure most suited to resist the forces acting upon it." This law is critical to develop and maintain bone density. Unfortunately, this response can also lead to increased joint degeneration. Wolff's Law explains how joint degeneration is a typical response to prolonged abnormal stress applied to a joint. Increased mechanical stress on a joint will lead to increased calcium salt deposition and as a result it will lead to fusion of the joint. This process takes place as a protective measure to resolve a perceived weakness in that joint.

An important point to consider is that the problem probably did not begin at the degenerating joint. The problem started long before the articulation began to break down. This occurred as a result of a structural imbalance that affected your center of gravity and broke down one side sooner than the other. Early detection of this type of a problem involves finding the structural imbalance. An imbalance can be detected long before the joints begin to break down and even before any symptoms are experienced. As noted in my previous articles, a reactive approach to this condition will come up short every time.

Early detection and correction of the cause will at least slow the process of degeneration. The result will be an increase in quality of life for your entire family. According to the MacAurthor Foundation, how you age is 30% genetics and 70% lifestyle choices. Our office provides early detection testing and gives structural feedback at each sports physical examination. It's up to you to determine what you do with that information. If you have a family history of osteoarthritis, you should seriously consider our early detection strategies for yourself and for your children.