What is osteoarthritis ?

Osteoarthritis is defined in the National Academy medical dictionary as a chronic arthropathy, characterized by the primary destruction of articular cartilages, a marginal osteophytosis and often a subchondral osteophytosis; the synovial membrane is often inflammed.

Symptoms and causes of osteoarthritis

• Osteoarthritis can be clinically present, undetected by X-rays and confirmed by MRI imaging..

An abnormally working chondrocyte causes an imbalance between the formation and the resorption of the cartilage with an increase of the cartilage water content and a loss of mechanical properties.

• Pain increasing with strain or mobilization of the joints and which eases with rest is the manifestation of osteoarthritis.

Morning stiffness is brief, cracking noises are often heard. Some effusion may appear. Osteoarthritis shows on the X-ray as a narrowed joint space, a subchondral osteosclerosis and a marginal osteophytosis.

The rate of frequency of this disease increases with age and can affect one or several articulations (poly-osteoarthritis).

Inherited predisposition may occur in some forms of osteoarthritis (Heberden’s nodes), as well as some mechanical factors (osteoarthritis on dysplasia), some metabolic anomalies (obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee, hemochromatosis (bronze diabetes).

Osteoarthritis relief with Winback Tecartherapy

Osteoarthritis is an evolving phenomenon and patients ends up suffering from it one day or another. Where it is located varies depending on how one stands (curved spine, valgus knee, flat feet…) as well as one’s occupation. However later in life osteoarthritis appears and the speed of its development depends on physical activity. The more sedentary one is, the faster the development. Secondly, pain can bring about a forced sedentary lifestyle and thus lead to a vicious circle. This is where Winback steps in to break that circle.

Osteoarthritis cannot really be treated and no one today is able to do so. With physiotherapy, it can be relieved by maintaining and improving flexion and a temporary reduction of the pressure exercised on the articulation. Doctors cannot cure osteoarthritis either, nor can rheumatologists. Painkillers or anti-inflammatory medicine are often used, and when osteoarthritis is too severe, the next step is surgery to abrade the surface or even fit in a replacement joint.

With Winback Tecartherapy, practitioners can see a strong analgesic effect which lets them more easily free tensions around the articulations. The difference the use of Winback Tecartherapy makes, is that it lets the physiotherapist act as close as is possible to the articulation (its vascularization and the release of the structures), contrary to other treatments physiotherapists may use.

It assists manual therapy but also greatly facilitates active work which is the essential part of fighting against the stiffening and worsening of osteoarthritis.

Here is a recent patient case study on osteoarthritis of the hip:

Today, physiotherapists no longer see many cases of osteoarthritis of the hip. The rare patients affected with it have, in most instances, undergone surgery to be fitted with a prosthetic hip (therefore following a problem as normally, physiotherapy sessions are no longer necessary after such an operation).

However, using Winback Tecartherapy preventively makes it possible to postpone such an operation, maintaining the opening scope : thus the evolution of the disease is slowed down and the patient regains some quality of life. It is often said that it is best to prevent than to cure, and that is also what our equipment can be used for : give back quality of life and postpone the operation, in the process leading to a saving in care treatment.