Our joints play an essential role in helping us move, but because they handle an immense amount of strain each day, they tend to break down a bit as we age. Whether it’s a result of direct trauma or repetitive stress, it’s common to notice some joint discomfort as you reach your forties, fifties and beyond. And while this discomfort isn’t uncommon, you need to remember that joint pain isn’t just something you should try to ignore and push through. Failing to treat joint issues at an earlier stage can lead to a host of new or worsening issues. In today’s blog, we spotlight five issues that can arise if you put off treating your minor or mild joint discomfort.
Why You Shouldn’t Put Off Joint Pain Treatment
Millions of Americans are bothered by joint pain every single day, but only a fraction of them are actively seeking out treatment. Failing to take steps to address lingering joint problems can lead to additional issues, including:
- Worsening Symptoms– It’s unrealistic to think that joint pain will just go away on its own. Your lifestyle and the natural aging process contributed to your current condition, so continuing to do the same activities will only continue to stress your joints. If you do nothing to proactively treat your condition and don’t address underlying habits that led to their onset, it’s much more likely that symptoms will worsen instead of getting better. If you’re uncomfortable now, expect that it will only get worse weeks, months and years down the road without targeted treatment.
- Responsiveness To Treatment –While joint pain certainly isn’t as serious as a condition like cancer, they share a common connection when it comes to treatment. The sooner you begin treatment, the higher the likelihood your body will respond positively to this treatment. Treatment success rates are much higher when you begin physical therapy and other interventions at an early stage. You’re not going to be able to completely reverse the damage done to your joints, but you can significantly reduce or even halt the progression of joint degeneration while also alleviating symptoms when you intervene at an earlier stage. The longer you put off treatment, the less likely it is your body will respond to treatment.
- Interconnected Systems– If a specific joint like your knee is causing discomfort, your body is likely already trying to compensate for these pain by shifting how stress is channeled through the area. The body tries to be protective of an injured joint, but this stress has to go somewhere, so oftentimes nearby areas like your hips, ankles or feet have to handle more strain due to weakness or discomfort in a nearby joint. This can overburden these areas and put them at risk of their own injury or expedited degeneration. We oftentimes see patients who are dealing with hip pain as a result of their decision not to treat their knee issue, because stress was shifted from the knee area to the hip. Don’t be surprised if other areas of your body begin to hurt as a result of your decision not to address your original joint discomfort.
- Increased Medical Expenses– We understand that nobody wants to shell out their hard earned money for medical expenses, but as the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. Proactively treating joint discomfort with a low-cost treatment like physical therapy can prevent much more invasive and costly treatment options like corticosteroid injections or surgery. Putting off treatment can end up greatly increasing your all-in medical costs.
- Missing Out On Life– Finally, joint pain can force you to miss out on some of the activities that you once loved. Maybe joint pain is keeping you from playing pickleball, hiking your favorite trails or traveling the world. Don’t live life on the sidelines because of progressive joint pain. Take back your life and your independence by proactively treating joint pain with a simple solution like physical therapy!
Contact a Minnesota Physical Therapist
So if you want to avoid the above issues and restore your independence, consider talking with a physical therapist near you to see if PT could help you manage your joint discomfort. For more information, or for help with a different physical issue, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.