Has your doctor noted that you have “wear and tear”?
What now? Should you be concerned? How bad is it? Patients are often discouraged and frightened when they hear this analysis. That being said, wear and tear is a completely normal occurrence which is happening to all of us. The goal is to progress gently over time rather than have a steep quick drop off.
Factors which lead to accelerated progression:
- Injuries to the joints from whiplash or sports. While these cannot be undone, having them addressed and managed in a timely manner will minimize the negative effect.
- Obesity causes an increased load to the joints. Managing this with proper diet and exercise is extremely important for the longevity of your joints.
- Repetitive motion from often performed daily activities will put strain on the joints. These commonly performed tasks should be undone by corrective exercises and stretches to ensure premature joint degeneration is avoided.
- Excessively stiff joints. Your joints are designed to move smooth and freely through a full range of motion. Having a chiropractor assess and work with you to optimize joint mobility will ensure gentle aging.
Chiropractors are experts at assessing and managing these factors. Chiropractors are trained to read X-Ray and MRI scans giving us the ability to determine the areas where there is an accumulation of wear and tear. From there we design treatment plans and prescribe corrective exercises and dietary modifications to ensure the progression slow and gentle.
Dr. Greg Tollefson is an expert in diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders such as Osteoarthritis as a Chiropractor, Mobility Specialist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
David O shea
