Whoa what a scary word! There are a lot of people that have it and most people don’t know what it is. Arthritis, also known as Degenerative Joint Disease, is a condition where the connective tissue between our bones has been broken down to the point where one bone is touching another one. Because of the bones touching one another people often develop pain, inflammation and stiffness. The longer someone has arthritis, the more problems develop from it. It typically isn’t something that gets better with time if it is ignored. If you have arthritis in a joint and you don’t move it, it may not hurt…until you move it again. Most often we cover up the pain with medication or injections, which may make us feel better in the short term, but it is a short term solution to a long term problem. The best way to treat arthritis is to prevent it in the first place. Keeping your muscles long and strong and making sure you stress your joints enough that they don’t start breaking down. Once you have arthritis, surgery isn’t the only solution. Physical therapy can help with the symptoms and complications of arthritis. A body in motion will remain in motion, a body at rest will break down and cause lots of problems down the road!
Written by Justin Bickford, DPT, OCS, CSCS, COMT, Director of Rehab