A common problem that patients attend osteopathy clinics for is joint pain. This can sometimes be due to general degeneration. Contrary to popular belief this can happen at many different ages. Degeneration can also be known as OA, osteoarthritis or wear and tear.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a different problem. However the joint restriction and muscle pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis can still be treated with osteopathic treatment.

 

There are good outcomes for joint pain due to the muscle stresses that degeneration causes; including soft-tissue massage and joint articulation. Joints are like hinges, if we have oiled hinges on a door, the door will swing open with little muscle force from us. If the hinge is needed a bit of oiling, or maybe a few new screws, we will have to use a lot more muscle force to open the door. This is why our muscles can start to hurt when we have degeneration in our joints.