In this post, we’ll talk about osteoarthritis and aging. Did you know that 1 in 7 people are aged over 65 in Australia? Our Australian population is living longer and getting older.
Osteoarthritis is an ailment that impacts the whole joint including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. It’s usually talked about as ‘wear and tear’. Now it’s thought to be because of a joint working overtime to repair itself.
That’s why you need to remain active and look after your body, especially your joints.
What are some osteoarthritis issues?
These are a few common issues:
- inflammation of the tissue around a joint – that’s where you’ll see and feel swelling around the joint
- damage to joint cartilage – wear and tear on the protective cushion on the ends of your bones will cause pain within the joint
- bony spurs growing around the edge of a joint. These are bumps of extra bone
- deterioration of ligaments (the tough bands that hold your joint together) and tendons (cords that attach muscles to bones)
We see our fair share of older patients in our clinic because they’re usually coming in experiencing postural strain. This can be caused by sitting around more so in the later years of life. The common areas affected around hips, knees and spine – particularly the neck and the lower back. Those two parts of the body are the main weight-bearing joints of the body.
We’ll also provide preventative measures to for when you finish your treatment with us. These measures vary and will depend on the type of pain you came to visit us for.
Our osteopath clinic is close to Balaclava, and we’ve been treating older patients for years. Because of that, we know how to treat osteoarthritis and have you feeling good again. Therefore, call us today on 03 8080 2981 and book an appointment. We’re open on Saturdays, too!
Did you know we service Elwood osteopathy patients as well?