One of the problems that many of us have is damage to joints caused by walking imbalance, Sitting or even just typing or other Activities.
When I was young, 26 years old I had a serious car accident and had a pots fracture in the ankle, many say that this caused my condition that I now suffer. although it is generally caused by genetics. I degress
After the accident, I was plastered and it was removed after six weeks, as soon as the damaged skin hit the air my foot became infected and nearly lost the foot. It took a further
six weeks to heal.
At that time I had an old type Gp and he said that arthritis would set in at a different part of my body, because my walking was putting stress on other joints, at the time I did not believe him. Four years later I was having problems with my right shoulder, then I considered what the old GP said then put it into the back of my mind. Later after much thought I had another accident and was in the emergency department, and I asked the rhumatolagist about it He confirmed what was said, and went further into it saying that he could see the stresses in a persons walk and the way they sat,
Later again I took a rhumatology course at a local hospital, this was brought up again,
At the course we were taught about posture and taking weight of certain joints, this assisted me in taking stress out of movement and releasing bad seating posture, it worked in a way and it helped me keep moving for a few further years.
What I am trying to get at is would it be beneficial for hospitals to do these courses more often, so as to help arthritis sufferers calculate their movements and prevent, preventable pain, Could this be cost effective and stop a lot of expensive problems in later life.
It makes you think
All the best
BOB
13 Replies
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Sounds good, how about posting this on the NRAS Health Unlocked site?
Hi, I agree with what you are saying. Prevention is better than cure. I have noticed that I seem to lean more heavily to one side. My cushion on the chair is always pushed in on the left side and on the mobility scooter I feel like I am leaning to one side, I think it is because of the intense pain in the right leg I am probably putting more weight onto the left side of the body. It would be a big help if there was some teaching on how to distribute the wight. Have a good day. Ann
Too true... I have a congenital dislocation of the hip... repeatedly mis-diagnosed for decades. It's arthritic and that is TRIVIAL compared to the pain and mayhem due to the damage it has wreaked on my lower back from the leg shortening as well as the impact on my knees, feet and elsewhere in my spine to a lesser degree.
If only I knew years ago the things I know today I might not be in this miserable condition!
Doctors have never been big on prevention though
A couple of sessions with a sports physio will sort it out. I know you are probably bored of me saying it, but they do know their stuff.
If you have a problem with your cars tyres, you don't go to the garage and wait for them to find the problem and tell you to go to a tyre fitter. You go straight to a tyre fitter yourself.
Why is it any different for health? you got a mechanical problem, go and see a sports physio. Why cause all that extra stress around getting appts, getting cancelled, waiting, transport problems, notes going missing, having to repeat yourself to numerous staff, when you could see a sports physio the same week, have a couple of sessions and get sorted?
It really is that simple.
If everyone with chronic pain did this, just think how much pressure would be taken off the nhs.
in reply to
Hello Zanna
The idea of this course is to see someone before they develop extra problems in later life. This course I was on was to facilitate the correction of further problems with joints that will cause problems years later. It is a fact that many problems are caused by bad posture after an accident The course actually covered more than just posture but also exercise regimes to keep joints moving and methods that you will need to explain to the staff in different departments that you will mix with in a hospital environment.
People who have an accident may find that they may be ok after treatment, although because of their problem stresses and strains cause problems with other parts of the body in later life. To catch this early, when it is known by medics posture may prevent these problems
Pysio may be to late to give this relief, and you end up playing catch up with the condition.
Posture is very important for neck, shoulders legs and ankles good posture at an earlier stage may prevent further pain later
The use of a sports physio does not really come into this, He also will be playing catch up as would a cyropracter
If you are happy the way you are fair enough, ask your self what if I did something different early in life. When suffering a disability many of us say to ourselves, what could I have done differently
All the best
BOB
in reply to
Hi Zanna' have you one in mind, as I live in London just maybe you can pass on some information about who to go to as it does not sound like it can be done on the NHS
What about the Alexander technique? Isn't that about improving posture from the feet up. Would that help? Anyone tried it? I have terrible problems with my feet , slightly dodgy knees, but also bad pain in my hands. Hand pain can't be caused by bad posture can it??
The Alexander technique that assists in the relaxation of all parts of the body, it gets rid of those feelings you get when everything feels tense and works from tip to toe, generally you should be able to relax yourself so, do you use it, I was given tapes many years ago and still use them from the RVI in Newcastle so I have put them on the computer.
A further relaxation technique is the Maxwell Technique, this is used in mental health it is much deeper and you can use it in a cluttered environment.
All the best
BOB
As far as I am aware, and have been lead to believe, any damage to joints, bones muscles can be prevented from progressing with alternative therapies (physio, chiro, bowen's, etc). In some cases repair to damage can be seen. (my own compressed lumbar discs were manipulated back into place). But the body can be strengthened to prevent more damage. So even if its not prevention in the sense that you do not suffer any joint, bone or muscle diseases or conditions, these therapies can go a long way to preventing the progression.
Rowan, generally if you have joint pains, you will suffer compensation pains which can be felt anywhere in the body. Its the brains way to try and slow you down to allow the original injury to heal. But modern living and expectations does not allow us to rest when we have to.
I considered myself to have a healthy active life prior to my trauma. I did ballet to my mid teens, cycled and walked. No amount of activity or fitness levels would have prevented my trauma as its unrelated to physical fitness or activity. I have a previously undiagnosed congenital abnormality with a trauma on top of it. I honestly believe that if I had known about the congenital abnormality, there is a high chance I would have suffered the trauma anyway, just due to the circumstances that resulted in my trauma. I may have gone all my life without knowing I had a congenital abnormality, nor experienced any problems relating to it.
But yes, in an ideal world, prevention is always better.
in reply to
Hello BOB here
Initially I had a great deal of manipulation on the neck and hips, when XRAYS were undertaken they could see where the manipulation had taken place, the joints, in spine had thickened over the long period, hence I suffer a still neck on top of all problems with same. I now wonder if I did the right thing having about thirty treatments ,although at the time gave me quite a bit of relief at the time.
Now we cannot keep saying what if we now have to deal with problems now as historic treatments were done in good faith
All the best
BOB
Bob, we can only do what is right at a given moment in time. I remember not that long ago a back treatment was to lie flat on your back for 2 weeks. Now they say keep active and don't lie on your back.
We know massage is good for you, it relaxes muscles and it relaxes the brain. We know we might get reactive arthritis from bone manipulation, so we balance the 2, to lessen any long term damage. We know meditation works on the body and brain and accesses parts that the conscious brain can't. We know it does not harm the body. We know walking is a good activity and we do as much as our body tolerates, but we know it may exacerbate the onsert of arthritis. so we balance with with distraction. We know when we are distracted we are totally focused on the task, but forgetting time is not good if you are sitting for long periods, so we balance that with functional exercise.
Just like food, any alternative therapy done in isolation may cause a negative effect in the long term, the trick is tobalance it with other ones so that you are getting a little of each.
I take full responsibility for my actions, treatments and I know that in this moment in time, I have researched as much as I can to know that I am doing the best for me. It may be that 5 or 10 years from now something new appears that will be even better, and it may be right for me in that moment of time to pursue it. All anyone can do is carefully choose a course of action and follow it.
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