Something which I commonly see in practice is the unfounded belief that developing Arthritis is inevitable as we age. Quite simply, my response to such statements is that if we look after our spine and extremity joints through Chiropractic care, proper exercise & stretching as well as nutritional support there is absolutely no reason why someone must develop degenerative joint changes.
Arthritis is estimated to affect more than 52 million people (~23% of adults), according to the CDC. With our aging population, that number is expected to top 78 million by the year 2040. Typically, when we encounter Arthritis in practice it is confirmed via x-ray findings. These findings most commonly include; reduced disc space/height, bony spur formation as well as reduced flexibility and mobility. I was recently asked by a client if Arthritis only affects people? Perhaps a strange question but one that I had never really considered, which led to me doing some reading!
I discovered that researchers initially thought that synovial joints formed when four-limbed bony vertebrates ventured onto land. This belief, was recently contradicted by a US discovery which demonstrated arthritic joints had been found in Zebrafish and other ray-finned fish. It was suggested by the investigating team that water resistance places a similar stress upon joints as daily activities that humans face.
So what does this research mean? While interesting to know that arthritis does not only affect people, more importantly it opens the door to finding a biological cure for the condition which to date has largely been managed via artificial joint replacement.
Recent Comments