#jointpain – The Fascial Effect

Twinge and Whinge

Despite the unseasonably warm November, the weather is getting colder and wetter. That’s British weather – the days get shorter and the temperature drops.

If you suffer from arthritis – whether rheumatoid (where your joints get inflamed) or osteo (also known as ‘wear and tear’) – you probably get more painful twinges and aches when it gets colder and dampness also affects them. Cold weather is uncomfortable and many people report feeling stiffer, moving more slowly and every move causes twinges and aches in their joints.

But why?

Cold muscles don’t stretch as well as warm ones, which is why your personal trainer will strongly recommend you warm up before a workout to ensure you don’t get any injuries. This tension reduces mobility and flexibility in your joints.

There are even studies that have linked changes in the barometric pressure to changes in the way joints move.

What you can do

A good diet will help; eating seasonally fresh and nourishing foods should be your first step. But what about supplements to support your body’s functioning?

Here are a few supplements that support bone health:

Curcumin is the principal active component of Turmeric and gives the spice its bright yellow colour. In South Asia, turmeric is considered to be a warming spice; I feel warm just looking at the vibrant yellow powder! Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced joint pain and increased ease of movement. Some studies have shown that the reduction in joint inflammation can act in an almost self-healing fashion, allowing regeneration of cartilage leading to true joint healing – rather than simply managing the condition so get out your recipe books and see how you can add Turmeric to your recipes.

We can’t talk about joints without mentioning the often recommended Glucosamine Sulphate, which helps to lubricate the joints and support the formation of cartilage, reducing wear and tear i.e. osteoarthritis.

Winter months are not good for sunbathing in the UK, but sunlight generates Vitamin D, which contributes to strong bones. That means that for around 6 months of the year a Vitamin D3 supplement is advisable. Vitamin D facilitates Calcium absorption in the body, which promotes bone and joint health.

It is essential to take Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2 which will make sure that the calcium ends up in the bones and not become deposits where it shouldn’t be, like in your arteries.

Add safe doses of curcumin, glucosamine, Vitamins D3 and K2 to Black Cumin Seed Oil to reduce inflammation, Pumpkin Seed Oil – packed full of essential fatty acids, which act as lubricants for joints, and Milled Flaxseed – also high in Omega Fats, Vitamins and Minerals. If that sounds too complicated to put together every day then you might find that a sachet of BEND, daily, will give you all the concentrated, natural ingredients designed to support healthy bones and joints that you need.

This doesn’t mean that a daily sachet of BEND will replace gentle exercise to keep your joints moving. You still need to move around as much as possible – the combination of a sachet of BEND and moderate exercise is better than either option alone. Protect and preserve your bones and joints to stay mobile and independent.

For more information call Jas on 07775633798

Body

When wear and tear starts to hurt

As you get older your body can start to show signs of what even the medical profession sometimes refer to as ‘wear and tear’. However, a more likely diagnosis is likely to be osteoarthritis.

This is a degenerative joint disease caused by the thinning and damage of cartilage usually due to gradual wear and tear, injury or overuse. Predominantly it affects weight bearing joints like the hip and knee and is more common as we age, but occurs in the younger people with a physically demanding job or lifestyle.

Osteoarthritis should not be confused with rheumatoid arthritis (or rheumatism), where the tissue around the joint is inflamed resulting in noticeable swelling, restricting movement. This can afflict any age group.

Articular cartilage is a tough, flexible tissue which covers the end of the bones and acts as a shock absorber allowing the bones making up the joint to glide over one another. Without the cartilage cushion, bone rubs on bone causing the affected joint to react. The symptoms can include:

The gradual onset of pain – felt either when joint is kept immobile (e.g. driving, sitting and night pain), or when weight bearing (e.g. walking and climbing stairs).
Stiffness – normally felt worse in the morning.
Swelling and tenderness after physical activity.
Change in movement patterns (e.g. abnormal gait or limp).
Referred pain (e.g. people present with tenderness or reduced mobility in another region of their body due to compensatory movement or muscle imbalance).
Reduced stability as a result of atrophy and weakening of muscles around the joint.
Inactivity to avoid pain can result in worsening physical symptoms and decrease in overall mental health and overall wellbeing.

How can physical therapy and myofascial release help?

When the cartilage has been worn down it cannot be regenerated and there comes a time when surgery and joint replacement is the only option. However, until then, manual therapy may help to relieve some of the symptoms.

Myofascial Release is a style of hands-on therapy that involves sustained pressure on selected areas of the body to break up tight fascia that inhibits movement of muscles and joints. A treatment plan including myofascial release can be effective in managing the symptoms of osteoarthritis by:

Reducing tension and softening adhesions around a joint giving bones some space to move reducing the friction that causes pain and inflammation
Treating myofascial trigger points also reduces pain and stiffness
Positional Release – a precise manipulation technique to treat muscle spasm and pain in the ligaments, tendons and joints to achieve the most optimal level of comfort possible
Gentle passive stretching to increase the range of pain free movement within capability
The increased flexibility of the fascia allows for strengthening of surrounding muscles, which supports the join better
A continued course of treatments to address any postural habits developed due to compensation patterns will slow down further degeneration
Advice on nutritional supplementation to support long term bone and joint health.

So if you’ve got that ‘getting older is painful’ feeling, this is a non-surgical approach that will give you an improved range of movement without the associated pain. Taking action sooner rather than later often prevents things getting to the point where surgery is the only option.

For more information call 07775 633798