If knee pain is stopping you from exercising, then you can expect your knee pain to get worse, not better. Studies have shown that exercise is crucial for the treatment of arthritis. Prolotherapy can help people with knee and other joint pain get back to an exercise routine.
Prolotherapy is a safe injection technique that can significantly decrease the pain of knee arthritis. It involves the injection of a natural proliferative fluid to the intra-articular joint space and the extra-articular supporting structures where tendons and ligaments attach to the bone surrounding the joint. The result is a stimulation of the body’s natural healing cascade and a stabilization of the supportive structures of the joint.
A study looking into the therapeutic effects of prolotherapy for moderate knee osteoarthritis was published in the April 2015 issue of Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. The study found that knee pain, range of motion, and function were all improved after 3 monthly prolotherapy sessions, and the benefit was maintained throughout the 6-month study duration. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, typically onsets after age 40 and it is due to the gradual loss of joint cartilage which can lead to bony endplate changes.
Our body is a skeleton frame not meant to carry lots of extra weight. Imagine, for a second if you had to carry 20 lbs. of bricks strapped to your back at all times. That is no different than being 20 lbs. overweight. Extra weight can wear down your knees, hips, and the discs in your lower spine. Your body mass index (BMI) is measured by measuring your height and weight. Keeping your body mass index (BMI) in the ideal range of 18-25 is the most important thing you can do to delay or prevent osteoarthritis.
In addition, keeping your muscles strong and limber are also critical for joint health. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and joint-space fluid are the only things standing between bone-on-bone. Making sure that these supporting structures are in prime health is essential to protect the intra-articular surface inside joints. If pounding the pavement when you run or walk lead to knee pain, swimming or biking are excellent options to help you achieve optimal muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Eating a healthy diet filled with nourishing antioxidants, amino acids, and nutrients is also essential to keep your joints healthy and prevent osteoarthritis. An anti-inflammatory diet containing organic vegetables, fruits, beans, herbs, nuts, seeds, whole grains like quinoa and as much gluten-free as possible should make up the bulk of your food choices. Healthy sources of fats like avocado, coconut, olive oil, nuts, and wild salmon should replace the unhealthy sources of fats found in processed foods.
Given that our body’s composition is 78% water, staying hydrated is extremely necessary to avoid drying out the cartilage inside the joints. The synoviocytes (the cells that line the weight-bearing joints) produce a fluid that helps buoy the bones like hydraulic fluid. When this fluid dries out, joints are more likely to have bone-on-bone friction. Plus, the spinal discs contain a gel-like center that tends to desiccate with age, and benefit from daily hydration. Men should drink 3 liters of water/day and women should drink 2 liters of water/day.
Lastly, supplements such as Glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg/day with Chondroitin 1200 mg/day have been shown to help reduce cartilage loss in several studies. Resveratrol, an antioxidant derived from the skin of grapes, has been associated with longevity and may also protect joints. Akasha Naturals Fish oil (omega 3 – EPA/DHA) and InflaRegulator have enhanced anti-inflammatory properties when taken Regularly. Together with Akasha’s Joint Ease, a selective kinase response modulator that is useful for flares of joint pain, these supplements are a healthy, side-effect free way to decrease your joint swelling when combined with life-style changes.
In summary, joint and cartilage pain treatment focus has shifted away from removing damaged cartilage, to preservation of as much cartilage as possible while enhancing the healing cascade. Prolothrapy is a scientifically evidenced proven way to help you live pain free.
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For further information on how the Akasha Prolotherapy treatment protocol can can help you, email us at info@akashacenter.com or call 310-451-8880 to make an appointment with Dr. Bren Boston, MD – Pain Medicine and Sports Medicine Specialist
Blog page: drbrenboston.com
Calculate your BMI: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
