Is Degeneration Normal?
The word “degeneration” can sound intimidating, often leaving people concerned about their mobility and long-term health. While it’s natural to worry when a doctor mentions joint or spinal degeneration, the truth is that degeneration is a normal part of aging. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re destined for pain, immobility, or surgery. In fact, physical therapy (PT) can play a key role in managing symptoms, improving strength and mobility, and helping you stay active for years to come.
What Is Degeneration?
Degeneration refers to the gradual wear-and-tear on the body’s tissues over time. Commonly, it’s used to describe changes in joints, discs, or cartilage. For example:
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD): Wear-and-tear of spinal discs, which naturally lose hydration and flexibility with age.
Joint Degeneration/Osteoarthritis: Gradual breakdown of cartilage in joints like the knees, hips, and shoulders.
While these terms sound serious, it’s important to remember that degeneration is not a disease—it’s a normal part of aging. Just as our hair grays and our skin wrinkles, our joints and discs also change over time.
Why Does Degeneration Happen?
Several factors can influence how quickly degeneration occurs, including:
Natural Aging: As we get older, the body’s ability to repair tissues naturally slows.
Genetics: Family history plays a role in how early or significantly degeneration appears.
Lifestyle Factors: High-impact sports, repetitive movements, or sedentary habits can speed up degeneration.
Injuries: Previous injuries can accelerate wear-and-tear on joints or spinal discs.
Is Degeneration Painful?
Here’s some good news: degeneration doesn’t always cause pain. Many people with mild to moderate degenerative changes experience no symptoms at all. Others might have discomfort, stiffness, or reduced mobility that comes and goes. However, in some cases, degeneration can lead to inflammation, muscle imbalances, and pain. For example:
Degeneration in the spine can lead to stiffness, localized discomfort, or nerve-related symptoms.
Degeneration in weight-bearing joints like the hips or knees can cause aches during movement.
The severity of symptoms doesn’t always match the level of degeneration. This is where physical therapy becomes so valuable. A physical therapist can help address your symptoms and improve your quality of life, regardless of how much degeneration shows up on an X-ray or MRI.
How Physical Therapy Helps Manage Degeneration
Physical therapy is an effective, non-invasive way to manage the symptoms of degeneration. Here’s how PT can help:
1. Pain Relief and Symptom Management: Physical therapists use techniques like manual therapy, soft tissue work, and therapeutic exercises to ease pain and reduce stiffness. By improving muscle function and mobility, discomfort often decreases naturally.
2. Strengthening Muscles to Support Joints: As degeneration affects cartilage or discs, the surrounding muscles must pick up the slack. PT focuses on strengthening these muscles to provide additional support, reducing stress on the affected areas. For example:
Core strengthening can help support the spine in cases of degenerative disc disease.
Hip and leg strengthening can reduce pressure on the knees in joint degeneration.
3. Improving Flexibility and Mobility: Degeneration often leads to stiffness, limiting your ability to move comfortably. Physical therapists guide you through targeted stretches and mobility exercises that keep you flexible and improve your range of motion.
4. Teaching Proper Movement and Body Mechanics: Poor posture or movement habits can worsen symptoms of degeneration. Physical therapists teach proper alignment, lifting techniques, and daily movement strategies to avoid unnecessary strain on joints and the spine.
5. Preventing Further Damage: Physical therapy doesn’t stop or reverse degeneration, but it can slow the progression of symptoms. By strengthening muscles, improving mobility, and teaching joint-friendly movement patterns, PT helps prevent further stress or injury.
Addressing Common Myths About Degeneration
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after hearing a diagnosis of degeneration, but let’s clear up a few misconceptions:
Myth: Degeneration means you’ll always have pain.
Reality: Many people with degeneration experience no pain. Physical therapy can help manage discomfort and keep you active.
Myth: Degeneration requires surgery.
Reality: Surgery is rarely the first option. Physical therapy is a proven, non-invasive treatment for managing degeneration.
Myth: You should stop exercising to avoid worsening degeneration.
Reality: Movement and exercise are essential for managing degeneration. PT can teach you safe, effective ways to stay active.
Don’t Ignore Degeneration: Take Action
While degeneration is normal, that doesn’t mean you have to “live with it.” Addressing symptoms early with physical therapy can prevent discomfort from worsening and keep you moving comfortably for years to come.
If you’ve been told you have degeneration or are experiencing stiffness, aches, or mobility issues, physical therapy can help you feel better, move better, and stay active.
Take Control of Your Health
Degeneration may be a normal part of aging, but it doesn’t mean you have to slow down. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, our skilled therapists help you manage symptoms, improve strength and mobility, and prevent future issues.
If you’re ready to take charge of your health, contact us today to schedule an appointment and see how physical therapy can keep you active and pain-free.
References
Mayo Clinic. “Degenerative Disc Disease.” Mayo Clinic.
Cleveland Clinic. “Degeneration and Aging.” Cleveland Clinic.
American Physical Therapy Association. “Benefits of Physical Therapy for Joint and Disc Degeneration.” APTA.
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