
HOPE FOR KNEE AND HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS:
Distraction and Patient Education and Exercise
Osteoarthritis in the knee and hip are known
and growing concerns as our society ages…around the world. Currently
in 2021, Canada is evaluating the “Good Life with Osteoarthritis
in Demark” (GLAD) program for knee and hip
osteoarthritis. The program combines manual therapy,
exercise and patient education. (1) In one
GLAD study in which patients attended 2-3 patient education classes and 12
supervised exercise sessions over the course of 8 weeks, patients’
pain intensity improved 26-33%, walking speed improved 8-12%, chair standability improved 18-30%,
and joint-related quality of life got better by 12-26%. (2) (Another
study used MRI to determine the thickness of
knee joint cartilage after distracting the knee joint
to document that it increased with treatment bringing
about significant short- and long-term cartilage regeneration
up to 10 years after treatment. (3) This was done
with young people, but it is hopeful!) Back in 2017, a Canadian
chiropractor described the benefit
of his treatment using Cox® flexion-distraction-principle-based
distraction to the osteoarthritic knee, and the success he’s witnessed
in his patients. Overall (acute and chronic patients together),
patients related a mean visual analog scale score drop
from 7.7 to 1.8 in 3 weeks and 5.3 visits. Acute knee OA
patients’ scores reduced from 8.1 to 1.1 in 4.8
treatments in 2.4 weeks. Chronic patients’ scores reduced
from 7.5 to 2.2 in 3.3 weeks and 5.4 treatments. (4) Chiropractors like yours
at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa are ahead of the curve with their modified Cox® Technic
principles-based-flexion-distraction-approach to knee osteoarthritis. Novel
protocols for use in hip OA are also in development. Let’s talk
today about how distraction treatment may help you with West Des Moines
osteoarthritis of the hip and knee!
HOPE FOR DEGENERATED
DISCS: Chondroitin Sulfate
Back pain treatment
approaches be they surgical, exercise, nutrition, and/or manual therapy based flourish while
back pain endures. Injecting hyaluronic acid hydrogel is showing
some potential as it seems to restrain
the loss of disc height, promote tissue hydration for disc
repair, and decrease inflammation and innervation to ward
off more disc degeneration. (5) The nutritional approach continues
to hold hope for back pain sufferers as the disc matrix
components are known, two central components
being chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and hyaluronan. Making chondroitin sulfate
available to the disc plus controlling the
hydrostatic pressure of the disc is advantageous.
(6) Cox® Technic is shown to drop intradiscal
pressure, so combining it with chondroitin sulfate may be, too. Are
you taking yours? You may want
to think about adding a disc supplement that
has chondroitin sulfate to your routine after we
talk. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is ready!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox
on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael
Johnson as he discusses the
part chondroitin sulfate plays in the health,
degeneration and possible regeneration of the intervertebral disc
and in the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Schedule your next West Des Moines chiropractic appointment
with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa. See you then!
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."