were less likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than less active people. A subsequent pa- per by University of Illinois researchers found that while each running step levels more force on joints than a walking step, the foot hits the ground less often, so when it comes to wear and tear, it approximates the effect of walking. “Running doesn’t set people up for earlier de- velopment of osteoarthritis, and can in fact be protective,” says Gregg, stressing that proper form, a soft running surface and moderation are all important.
Regenerative Injections For more advanced cases of osteoarthritis, Seenauth recommends regenerative injec- tions such as prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. For PRP, doctors draw some of the patient’s blood and spin it down with a centrifuge to isolate platelets loaded with growth-promoting compounds. Then, they inject the platelets into the joint. A study of 78 patients with knee osteoar- thritis published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that those receiving
one or two PRP injections had significantly less pain and better function six months later, while the placebo group worsened. In prolotherapy, doctors inject natural sub- stances like dextrose and saline into the joint two to three times for six to eight weeks to promote production of collagen and other tissue-regenerating compounds. “Rather than inject a steroid, which provides a short-term fix by suppressing the immune response, we inject a con- centrated solution that ignites the body’s natural healing response,” says Seenauth.
A Mind-Body Approach Natural joint pain remedies also encompass acupuncture and meditation. In the UK, a University of York meta-review of 114 studies exploring 22 integrative or comple- mentary therapies for arthritis, including strength and aerobic exercise training, found acupuncture to have the most studies completed and the most promising results. “Acupuncture can be considered as one of the more effective physical treatments for alleviating osteoarthritis knee pain in the short term,” concluded the authors. University of Auckland researchers, in New Zealand, recruited 42 rheumatoid arthri- tis patients and assigned half to a program of mindfulness-based stress reduction, described by researchers as “the cultivation of nonjudg- mental attention to unwanted thoughts, feel- ings and bodily experiences via meditation.” While the meditation group saw no change in levels of inflammatory mark- ers in the blood or the number of swollen joints, they did report significantly less morning stiffness, tenderness and pain. The patients, in essence, trained themselves to experience their symptoms differently. “Pain is not just about nerves detecting a noxious stimulant and sending the signal to your brain. The brain has a whole system for processing these signals, and is also informed by your experiences, emotions and cognition,” says Seenauth, who recommends mindfulness meditation to all of his patients. “With the right nutrition, therapies and
state of mind,” he says, “you can significantly reduce the impact joint pain has on your life.”
Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO. Connect at
LisaAnnMarshall.com.
20 Austin Edition
AustinAwakenings.com
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