Kota Kinabalu: For patients who experience neck pain, lower back pain and knee pain (ranging from mild to moderate to severe pain), almost 90pc of their problems arise due to the effects of aging on the spine and joints, according to research.Consultant Physiotherapist Calvin Teo of Synergist Physiotherapy disclosed this in his free talk on "Effects of aging on the spine and joints" to members of the Kota Kinabalu Widows Welfare Association (KKWWA) at the association Senior Day Care Centre, Saturday.Degeneration of the lumbar region (or lower spine) is attributed to a number of factors such as weight gravity (carrying the upper body weight), sitting for long hours, lack of exercise, posture and bad habits in movement.
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Starting with the degeneration of the spine first, he said the three components in the intervertebral disc (which is the cartilage itself) are water, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. As such, limited nutrients and compression force are the main factors for degeneration of the disc, according to him."The spine is a strong structure but the part that is more susceptible to degenerative changes is the intervertebral disc or what we commonly refer to as the soft bone or cartilage which acts as the shock absorber of the spine."Due to continuous shearing and compression forces in the disc over the years, the disc loses water and important nutrients such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. The disc becomes thin and causes compression to the nerve (in close proximity to the disc), resulting in pain," Teo explained.On the complications of the spine, the Consultant Physiotherapist, who is trained in Manipal, India, showed the difference between a healthy young disc (which contains a lot of water) and a degenerated one (which shows loss of water content) in that normal vertebra is dense while osteoporotic vertebra is less dense (more porous), and osteoporotic compression fracture in which the bone becomes brittle is in fact a complication to osteoporosis.
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Bone spurs can also cause pain and numbness which radiates down to the arms or the legs. Participants learned that other complications that can add to the aging process include Osteoporosis, displacement of the bone and curve of the spine. "But only 10pc of the people with spinal problem has these complications," he said.
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Those concerned were advised to go for bone densitometry (to measure the density of bone) to test for osteoporosis and get the T-score.While asserting that fighting against degeneration of the spine and joint (as indicated by the narrow joint space in the knee) can be a long process, Teo made it clear that Physiotherapy may not be the only solution to the problem. "Still, it is definitely an essential part for recovery. So my advice to everyone is 'It is never too late to start'. Research has shown that early intervention has better recovery rate."On the aging knee joint (as a result of degenerated cartilage), he said its woe is the same as that of the degenerating spine in terms of weight, sitting a lot and loss of water and nutrients (in the joint). "The only difference is that the knee takes more weight than the spine. Every day we walk, we climb, we carry things, we use the knees every day but have never thought of protecting them," he lamented while asking "Do you know there is three times more body weight on the knee than on the spine in a standing position?"Against this scenario, what are the ways to prevent degeneration of the spine and joint? Citing research, Teo said it has shown that long-term glucosamine and chondroitin intake has impact to regenerate the disc (or cartilage), particularly at an early stage. Having said that, he advised the women to consult the doctor first and let the doctor prescribe glucosamine. Offering further advice on nutrient replenishment, the Consultant Physiotherapist said : "Of course, drinking an adequate amount of water is very important to rehydrate the disc.And from the compression force perspective, he advocated daily exercise, saying it is as important as brushing your teeth daily. "A stretch a day keeps the doctor away. When the disc (cartilage) has not blood supply, exercise will help to pump the nutrients into the disc. A strong lower back is a healthy lower back."Emphasising the need to learn how to protect the spine and joint, Teo gave the following tips : 1. Don't bend forward to carry heavy things but bend down on your knees to do so. 2. Don't sit on sofa which is too soft or too low when watching TV. 3. Try not to squat on your knees for too long (when washing clothes or gardening). "Last but not least, go for spinal and joint decompression therapy on a regular basis."Answering another question, he said jogging is all right as going uphill may strengthen the knees but going downhill is not desirable for the knees. "Not all forms of exercise are suitable. It has to be therapeutic exercise for the spine and knees. I am not saying that jogging is not good but do strengthen the knees first."Teo recommended brisk walking, cycling, swimming or sports activity for strengthening the knees, saying movement is needed to pump nutrients to the joints (to strengthen the muscle in the joints). The talk was followed by free consultation and a screening session for members who have spine or knee joint problems.Meanwhile, President of KKWWA, Lina Chin expressed her appreciation to Synergist Physiotherapy for offering free physiotherapy treatment (manual therapy) at the centre on alternate Saturdays starting from Nov 29 (2.30pm to 5pm). Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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