10 Myths Facts and about Joint Cracking — A Physiotherapist’s Guide | Blog by CB Physiotherapy, Active Healing for Pain Free Life.

 We’ve all done it: that satisfying crack or pop from a knuckle, neck, or shoulder roll. But is joint cracking a harmless habit, or should we be worried about the long-term consequences? In clinical practice, we often encounter questions and misconceptions about this phenomenon. In this guide, we’ll explore 10 facts and myths surrounding joint cracking to help you better understand this natural occurrence.

What is joint cracking?

Joint cracking is a phenomenon that many of us have experienced at some point in our lives. Whether it’s the satisfying pop when you stretch your fingers or the audible crack during a workout, joint cracking has been a subject of curiosity and debate.

What causes joint cracking?

Joint cracking is primarily attributed to the release of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid, a lubricating fluid present in our joints. When the joint is manipulated or stretched, these bubbles can burst, creating the characteristic cracking sound.

Myths and Facts about Joint Cracking

Fact 1: Joint Cracking is Normal
Myth 1: Cracking Joints Causes Arthritis
Contrary to popular belief, there is no scientific evidence linking joint cracking to the development of arthritis. Research suggests that, if done properly, cracking your knuckles or other joints does not increase the risk of arthritis.

Fact 2: The cracking sound comes from gas bubbles bursting in your joints.
Myth 2: Cracking your joints weakens them.
There’s no evidence to suggest that cracking your joints makes them any weaker or more susceptible to injury. However, if you experience pain or swelling after cracking a joint, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying issues.

Fact 3: Some people are naturally more prone to joint cracking.
Myth 3: Some believe that joint cracking is a sign of a problem or dysfunction.
However, in many cases, it is a completely normal occurrence. The sound is often caused by the release of gas bubbles when the synovial fluid in the joint shifts.

Fact 4: Joint cracking and popping during exercise can be normal.
Myth 4: Cracking joints always relieves tension.
While joint cracking can provide a sense of relief for some, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always beneficial. Cracking joints might temporarily relieve tension, but it’s not a long-term solution for addressing underlying issues such as muscle tightness or joint instability.

Fact 5: The idea that habitual knuckle cracking leads to larger joints is a misconception.
Myth 5: Cracking knuckles lead to larger joints.
Studies have not shown any correlation between knuckle cracking and joint size. Joint size is largely determined by genetics and individual anatomy.

Fact 6: Cracking Shouldn’t Be Painful.
Myth 6: Cracking your neck can cause a stroke.
While it’s true that forceful twisting or cracking of the neck can irritate nerves and blood vessels, there’s no evidence that it can directly cause a stroke. However, if you experience dizziness or pain after cracking your neck, it’s best to avoid doing it again and consult a doctor.

Fact 7: Stretching and strengthening exercises can help reduce joint cracking.
Myth 7: Cracking Provides Lasting Relief.
While joint cracking may offer temporary relief and increased joint mobility, it does not address the root cause of joint issues. Seeking professional guidance from a physiotherapist is crucial to ensure a comprehensive approach to joint health.

Fact 8: Physiotherapy Techniques for Joint Health.
Myth 8: All Joints Are Safe to Crack.
Not all joints are suitable for cracking. Attempting to crack certain joints, like the spine, without proper knowledge and technique can lead to injuries. It’s essential to exercise caution and, when in doubt, consult a physiotherapist.

Fact 9: Cracking your joints can be a sign of underlying conditions.
Myth 9: Cracking Equals Loosening Joints.
Contrary to the belief that joint cracking leads to joint instability, research suggests that occasional cracking does not cause joint laxity. However, chronic and excessive cracking may be a sign of joint issues that require attention.

Fact 10: Listen to your body.
Myth 10: Cracking your joints is bad for your posture.
There’s no connection between joint cracking and poor posture. However, if you have poor posture, it can put additional strain on your joints, which may lead to more frequent cracking.

Understanding the facts and dispelling myths about joint cracking is crucial for maintaining optimal joint health. While occasional cracking is generally harmless, persistent issues or pain should prompt consultation with a physiotherapist or healthcare professional.

We trust that this blog has provided clarity on the common misconceptions surrounding joint cracking. Should you have additional inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the provided number, 01140846393. Feel free to share this valuable information with friends and family who share an interest in understanding more about joint cracking!

Aging Gracefully | Maintaining Independence With Geriatric Physiotherapy

 Aging is a natural part of life that brings with it numerous changes, including a decline in Physical health and mobility. However, it doesn't mean that one must surrender their independence. Geriatric physiotherapy, a specialized branch of physiotherapy, plays a vital role in helping older adults maintain their independence, improve their quality of life, and age gracefully. With tailored exercises, pain management techniques, and preventive care, geriatric physiotherapy empowers seniors to lead fulfilling lives while staying active and independent. In this blog, we will explore the importance of geriatric physiotherapy and how it can support older adults in maintaining their physical well-being and independence.

Understanding Geriatric Physiotherapy:
Geriatric physiotherapy focuses on addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by older adults. It encompasses a comprehensive approach to care, combining exercise therapy, manual techniques, and education to promote optimal physical functioning and mobility. Geriatric physiotherapists are trained to assess and treat age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, stroke, balance disorders, and joint replacements.

Enhancing Mobility and Functional Independence:
Maintaining mobility is crucial for older adults to carry out daily activities independently. Geriatric physiotherapy employs exercises and interventions that improve strength, flexibility, and balance. By targeting specific muscle groups, physiotherapists help seniors regain and enhance their mobility, enabling them to perform tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs with ease. Moreover, specialized programs focus on fall prevention, which is crucial for reducing the risk of fractures and maintaining overall independence.

Managing Pain and Chronic Conditions:
Chronic pain is a common issue among older adults, affecting their quality of life and limiting their activities. Geriatric physiotherapy employs various techniques to manage pain effectively, such as manual therapy, heat or cold therapy, electrotherapy, and therapeutic exercises. These interventions alleviate pain, improve joint mobility, and reduce inflammation. Physiotherapists work closely with seniors to develop personalized pain management plans that enable them to engage in daily activities with reduced discomfort.

Promoting Cognitive and Mental Well-being:
Physical health and mental well-being are interconnected. Geriatric physiotherapy recognizes the importance of cognitive stimulation and emotional support for older adults. Therapeutic exercises and activities designed to enhance cognitive function, memory, and attention are incorporated into treatment plans. Additionally, regular interaction with physiotherapists can combat feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety, providing seniors with a sense of purpose and social connection.

Preventive Care and Long-Term Independence:
Geriatric physiotherapy emphasizes preventive care to ensure long-term independence and overall well-being. Physiotherapists assess seniors' homes for potential hazards and provide recommendations for modifications to create a safe living environment. They also educate older adults and their caregivers on proper body mechanics, fall prevention strategies, and exercises that can be performed independently. By taking a proactive approach, geriatric physiotherapy helps older adults prevent injuries, maintain their physical abilities, and live independently for longer.

Geriatric physiotherapy is a valuable resource for older adults seeking to age gracefully and maintain their independence. By addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by seniors, physiotherapists play a pivotal role in enhancing mobility, managing pain, promoting cognitive well-being, and providing preventive care. Through personalized treatment plans, seniors can regain their strength, flexibility, and balance, enabling them to carry out daily activities with confidence and ease.

 

Top 8 Tips to Manage Arthritis Pain During Winters

Winter is a season of discontent for people suffering from Arthritis. This is because of the fall in barometric pressure (pressure within the atmosphere of the earth), which can cause joints to expand, resulting in pain and inflammation. During winter low temperatures may increase the thickness of the synovial fluid (joint's shock absorber), which makes joints stiffer and more sensitive to pain. Winter season can also affect our DNA by simultaneously decreasing the genes in our body that suppress inflammation. Here in this blog are some tips to ease joint pain, and maintain bone health during the winter.

 

Effects of Cold Weather on Arthritis

Winter season has a significant impact on our health, especially for those who are suffering from arthritis.  There is a lot of damage done to the cartilage and bone cells.  As the temperature drops, bones usually become stiff and inflexible, which can increase discomfort or Pain in the joints, leading to depression and anxiety making life troublesome.

More pain is felt during low temperatures, this is because cold temperatures reduce blood flow around the body, and reduced blood flow can increase nerve pain. A drop in air pressure can negatively impact nerve pain, thus aches and pains are experienced more.

During winter most people go out less, don't exercise much, or see other people so frequently. These lifestyle factors can have an impact on mood – and depression makes the pain worse. Depression usually leads to reduced activity and our joints end up getting less and less mobile. The activity decreases as temperatures drop. It becomes hard for an individual to exercise and keep active in winter. Most arthritic patients suffer a flare-up of symptoms because they are not active in the cold season, which stiffens their joints and causes pain to worsen during movement.

 

Tips to Cope with Arthritis in Cold Weather

 

Physiotherapy:

The physiotherapist can develop a program that can help improve mobility and functionality. And an individual gets acquainted with the kinds of exercises and electrical modalities like TENS, Ultrasound, Thermotherapy, Laser therapy, Wax therapy, etc that can make a huge difference in joint pain.

 

Exercises

Mobility is crucial for people living with arthritis. To maintain strength and flexibility muscle fibers in our body need to flex and contract. When the weather turns low people tend to move less and reduced mobility results in an increase in pain and stiffness in arthritic joints, which makes exercise challenging to begin with. An individual with arthritis with no other severe health conditions is advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week and two weekly sessions of strength training. Little light exercise, stretching, and walking are considered to be enough for people with arthritis. Even regular massages on affected joints are also recommended as they increase the blood flow and this keeps the joints warm.

 

Keep warm

Heat therapy is very effective for stiff joints. It increases blood flow to help flush out pain-producing chemicals and stimulates receptors in the skin that improve pain tolerance. Warmth also relaxes muscles, reduces stiffness, and decreases spasms. Heat therapy can be applied by heating pads, taking a warm shower or soaking in a tub, electric blankets, and single-use hand and feet warmers can slip into pockets, gloves, or shoes.

 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D reduces pain in arthritis sufferers. During winters Vitamin D levels drop due to the reduced light, so it may be worth considering a supplement if Vit D levels are low

 

Dress Warmly

Keep aching hands, knees, and legs warm with gloves, tights or leggings, and boots. Add extra layers of clothing, when going out in winter. More layers of clothing, trap the body heat than wearing thicker clothes. When buying outerwear, choose clothes that can be worn with ease and should protect from bad weather. But these clothes should not hinder movement and even affect balance

 

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can increase pain sensitivity. Water flushes toxins out of the body, which can help fight inflammation. Also, water helps keep the joints well-lubricated.

 

Wear compression Gloves

Accessories like gloves, scarves, hats, and boots are important, as the majority of the heat is lost from the body's extremities. A pair of thermal compression gloves help improve the symptoms of arthritis. They vary in style and technology, provide compression to reduce swelling as well as emit or help trap heat to provide a warming sensation. Most styles are fingerless, so they are not suitable for outdoors. Even mittens can also be used as fingers generate more heat when they're not separated from each other by fabric, as they are with gloves.

 

Assistive aids

During winter select footwear that provides stability and traction. Before going out, muscles should be warm and relaxed, which can make it easier to keep balance. For more stability, consider a cane, walker, or even trekking poles to help maintain balance.

 

Weight Loss

Weight loss and Exercising go hand in hand to relieve pain and symptoms associated with arthritis. Weight loss reduces the amount of weight the joints have to deal with. Being overweight places a lot of pressure on the knees and hip joints, which increases the risk of impairment.

Different type of arthritis requires different methods to treat, whereas the above methods may work in all.

 Top 10 Exercises for relieving Hip Arthritis Pain

Hips hurt for a variety of reasons, arthritis can be one of them. Hip Arthritis causes pain and mobility problems making it difficult for the individual to do everyday activities, but if treated early, quality of life can be preserved. Though there is no cure for arthritis, but there are many treatment options to reduce its symptoms. One of the treatment options is physiotherapy. The physiotherapist uses a range of interventions to treat this condition and also guides in recommending the activities which are to be avoided thus enabling early treatment and preventing severe damage to the joint. In this blog, we will provide you with a quick guide that will help you know hip arthritis better and will also provide the exercises which you can do to improve your functionality.

 

Arthritis

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that is covered by articular cartilage. Cartilage is a spongy tissue that cushions the joints, deterioration of this tissue causes bones to rub against each other. Pain usually occurs in the groin, but you can also feel pain in the hip region.

Types of arthritis that affect the hip joint the most:

•  Osteoarthritis,

•  Inflammatory arthritis and

•  Psoriatic arthritis.

 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, caused by wear and tear in the hip joint. This causes cartilage damage at the end of the bones over time. It occurs in people age 50 or older due to trauma, hip dysplasia, femoroacetabular impingement, or obesity.

 

Inflammatory arthritis

Inflammatory arthritis, in this type there is inflammation of the joints and the surrounding tissues. It can occur in people of all ages but occurs mainly in early childhood. Types of inflammatory hip arthritis include ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

 

Psoriatic arthritis

This form of arthritis affects the skin. The main symptoms are joint pain, swelling, and stiffness in the affected joint, which can be the hip joint.

 

Benefits of Exercises

Exercises are done in a way that can make the patient feel better and also

•   Relieve pain

•   Decrease stiffness

•   Improve flexibility

•   Increase strength

 

Exercises

The physiotherapist initially recommends rest and ice therapy to relieve swelling and pain, activity modifications are done and walking aids like crutches and canes are provided for mobility.

 

Isometric hip flexion

•    Lie on the bed with legs extended straight.

•    Tighten or squeeze each of the buttocks and then release the tension.

•    Do 5-10 reps.

 

Hip circles

•    Stand by holding a chair for balance.

•    Make first small, gentle and then large circles as large as is comfortable.

•    Do for 20-30 seconds on each side and reverse the direction.

•    Each day do 2-3 times as long as it feels good.

 

Hip swings

•    Sit on the chair with legs hanging.

•    Start with small swings then slowly increase the distance.

•    Do 20-30 seconds on each side.

•    Repeat 2-3 times.

 

Lateral kicks

•    Stand in front of the wall.

•    Raise one leg by the side as far as it is comfortable.

•    Do 10-30 reps on each side.

•    Repeat 2-3 times each day.

 

Squat

•    Stand in front of the wall with back towards the wall.

•    Go down by bending the knees and sliding the back on the wall.

•    Go down till it is comfortable then raise back to the starting position.

•    Do 8-12 squats for 2-3 sets.

 

Hip bridge

•    Lie on the bed

•    Lift the hips as high as possible.

•    Push down through the heels.

•    Do 8-15 repetitions, hold for 10 secs.

 

Calf raises

•    Stand and hold onto a chair for support.

•    Raise the heels as high as possible till it's comfortable.

•    Do 20 reps.

 

Single leg deadlift

•    Stand with feet apart, knees slightly bent, raise one leg off the floor.

•    Flex the knee on the standing/support

•    Keep the back straight and lower the torso till it's parallel to the floor.

•    Squeeze glutes thrust the hips forward, and raise the torso back to the starting position.

•    Do 10-15 reps.

 

Wall sit and press

•    Stand in front of the wall

•    Keep the back in contact with the wall, bend the knees, and slide down the wall to move the arms.

•    Keep the core stable without arching the back move the arms overhead. 

•    DO 10-20 reps and 2-3 sets.

 

Balance pass

•    Stand on one leg and the other leg in kickstand position.

•    Pass the weight or dumbbell back and forth for30 seconds.

•    Do 2-3 times on each side.

 

Pain might be triggered by more no of repetitions and thus the patient may experience more pain therefore patient must add variety and take breaks in between the exercises sessions.