Physiotherapist says movement is essential for joint health

Physiotherapist Priit Teniste told ERR’s Vikerraadio programme “Huvitaja” that joints receive nutrients only when they move, meaning the muscles are working.

Back pain is often caused not by a weak back but by overworked muscles that are not working in sync, Teniste said. People also seek help for shoulder, hip and knee pain, although shoulder and hip problems are often ignored until they worsen.

“Joints receive nutrients only when the joint moves, meaning the muscles are working,” Teniste said.

Holding an arm up for a long time while washing windows can cause an overload through a single exertion, he said. People may raise their arm above shoulder level very few times during a week, apart from activities such as putting on a T-shirt.

Pain is often a warning signal that something is wrong and that a person should take action, Teniste said.

According to Teniste, the body has several layers of muscles. Larger muscles perform movements, while smaller muscles should provide stability and mobility. In his experience, the back is often not weak but overworked because the muscles are not functioning in sync.

When some muscles leave the work to the back muscles, the latter become tired. Teniste said a general exercise programme can help. He recommends doing the exercises every day for the first two weeks, followed by three or four sessions a week. However, he said that in his experience people often stop doing the exercises after a couple of months.

People also may not realise that when they sit, they are sitting on their thigh muscles, which are chronically tense in most people. Properly massaging the thighs can also relax the back, Teniste said.

Pain can originate in many different places, and physiotherapists must carefully assess both the physical and emotional factors involved. Some people insist that back pain must be caused by a problem in the back and find it difficult to accept that stress may affect the body. Teniste said emotions play a significant role in physical complaints, although most people are open to accepting this.

For a painful spot on the body, Teniste recommends applying pressure and holding it at the threshold of mild pain. If the pain begins to lessen or becomes more concentrated within a minute, the technique is acceptable. If the pain increases, he advises stopping.

Teniste said creams may act more slowly because their active ingredients accumulate in the area where they are applied, while the bloodstream carries the active ingredient in a tablet to its destination more quickly.

The cause of frozen shoulder is unknown, he said. The joint capsule becomes stiff: the shoulder begins to hurt, moving the arm becomes painful and the person stops using it. The pain usually lasts six months. In the most severe phase, the arm can be raised only slightly forward and to the side, making it impossible to reach the buttocks when using the affected arm. Teniste said physiotherapy can help.