Kent, Washington State, Luna’s physical therapists are experts in helping patients with degenerative joint disease reduce stress on the joints, improve mobility, and relieve pain. Our licensed PTs can create an exercise and stretching routine that’s safe, healthy, and comfortable for patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
Best of all, with Luna, patients with degenerative joint disease can receive expert physical therapy treatment right in the comfort of their own homes. Improving joint function with physical therapy has never been this convenient. It’s physical therapy, delivered.
Also known as “osteoarthritis,” degenerative joint disease (DJD) occurs as a result of wear and tear on the cartilage between the joints. The disease can affect any joint — however it is most common in knees, hands, hips, and spine. It’s estimated that more than 50% of adults over the age of 65 suffer from degenerative joint disease.
Degenerative joint disease is associated with pain and discomfort, reduced function and mobility, and weight gain. Over time, these symptoms can lead to further complications and diminished quality of life. DJD is a leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting over 30 million people.
Source: AAPMR
Degenerative joint disease has long been considered to be caused primarily by wear and tear to the joints over time, but researchers believe other factors, including genetics, also play a role.
Inherited traits, such as collagen underproduction and the FAAH gene, along with other risk factors like weight, injury, and underlying conditions (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis) can cause the cartilage between the joints to wear down faster.
The most common causes of degenerative joint disease include: