Intermediate · Ongoing
Osteoarthritis
Movement first, and the case for exercising a painful joint rather than resting it — then acupuncture, the coMra laser and a staged set of remedies for joints that do not settle.
Educational information — not medical advice. Speak to your own doctor or qualified practitioner before starting any protocol. In a medical emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately. Read the full medical disclaimer.
General guidance — freely shared
1 Exercise: It may seem counter intuitive, but exercise itself does not lead to arthritis, even when extreme, like weight lifting. Accidents can happen, but that is a different story. When I started walking daily in the wetlands on uneven sandy soil, my painful ankle disappeared as a problem, and so did my shoulder pain once I started lifting weights. This is interesting, because when we have joint pain people tell us to rest. The opposite may be true. Exercise and weight training build strong muscles which protect the joints and actually lowers the risk of getting osteoarthritis.
There is a place for resting but this usually applies to ligament injuries, which will be aggravated by exercise and weight lifting, so you do need to be clear what you are dealing with. A good physiotherapist can usually help to make a diagnosis and suggest the right exercise programme.
2 MSM
3 Inflacay gel (willow)
4 coMra laser
Two levels of care
The staged path, in outline
Tier 1
Opens inside membership
Tier 2
Opens inside membership
