“Wear and Tear” What does this actually mean?

25 Mar “Wear and Tear” What does this actually mean?

“Wear and tear” is a term that is often used by medical professionals to describe degenerative changes to our patients.  But what does it actually mean and is there anything that can be done about them?

Degenerative changes are naturally occurring changes within the joints as we age.  The extent of the changes and age they occur is very much dependent on the individual. 

Degenerative changes may be shown on imaging and are made up of different factors, for example there may be a loss of normal joint space within the hip or knee or some osteophytes (extra bone growth).

These changes are unfortunately not reversible, but their symptoms can certainly be manageable.

Sometimes these degenerative changes may be coincidental findings and may not necessarily be causing all of your symptoms.  

Physiotherapists can assess your movement, strength and restrictions and treat them with a wide range of modalities.  Ultimately, strengthening is the best way forward to manage your symptoms longer term, physiotherapists can advise you on which exercises are best for you based on your needs.  Manual therapies can also provide relief from the discomfort caused by these issues and enable you to move better and live your life more comfortably.