Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 21 million people in the United States and is characterized by mild to debilitating pain in the joints such as hands, knees, hips, feet and back.
Osteoarthritis (not to be confused with rheumatoid arthritis) is also called degenerative joint disease. It is not really a disease but more a degenerative process that causes joint cartilage to slowly break down. This breakdown removes the buffer (cartilage) between bones, and the resulting bone-against-bone friction causes pain and eventual loss of movement. Symptoms include joint pain or aching (often after exercise or extended periods of pressure on weight-bearing joints) and limited or eventual loss of range of motion.
Cartilage is a living tissue that grows, breaks down and repairs itself on the joint surfaces to provide smooth, friction-free movement.
Under normal circumstances, the breakdown and repair – with the help of cells called chondrocytes – will match each other and create a status quo, which will result in a healthy joint. But an excess of biomechanical stress will disturb the balance between breakdown and repair, and the chondrocytes will be unable to keep up with the repair of the cumulative damage caused by the breakdown of the cartilage. The result will be a loss of density and elasticity and subsequent little cracks in the cartilage. The end result of this process is osteoarthritis.
Significantly reduce pain by treating the swelling around various knee tendons and knee capsule.
Increase the motion in the joint.
Minimize the loss of muscle mass and knee stability by joint and muscle exercises to improve strength and flexibility.
Modalities such as ultrasound, ice, heat and medical acupuncture are used to loosen up the muscle tissue and increase the blood flow to the injured area, starting the healing process by providing access of nutrition and oxygen to the injured area.