Big Joints

The “big joints” are very important for an active life; they carry out many specific functions which are linked to some of our movements. The hip and knee joints are classified by anatomists and physiologists as the biggest joints in our bodies. Other big joints follow suit – shoulder, elbow and ankle joints. Their structure is very complex and it is quite easy to damage them. (The cause need not necessarily be a physical trauma.) Each joint consists of several bones; each of these bones has a smooth surface covered with cartilage. Inside the joint, there is a tendon holding the bones together. There is also a cartilage between the bones (joint disc cartilage) functioning as a cushion (in the knee, it is called meniscus; in spinal joints meniscoid). To enable a smooth movement, each joint contains joint fluid. The joint is held together by a big strong tendon, the articular capsule. It has several layers, with the inner layer being the most prone to damage (e.g. in an injection of corticosteroids or other unnatural substances).

Unless there is some physical damage, joint diseases are usually linked to mental causes. Often they are brought about by intensive stress or long-term depression.

Osteoarthritis (arthritis) – this term stands for degenerative changes of joint cartilage which are manifested by the loss of its flexibility. The smooth surface of the cartilage, which enables natural and easy movement, gives way to tiny holes which gradually deepen. At the same time, small splinters of cartilage are pushed out and released into the joint cavity where they change its natural environment. At first, we only feel pain during the first movements of the joint, sometimes also in the mornings or if there is a change of weather. Gradually the joints get bigger and lose their fine shape. Their natural flexibility is limited by persistent pain.

Polyarthritis – the same things apply as for arthritis; the only difference is hidden in the prefix poly-. It means many joints with pathological changes.

Spondioarthritis means arthritis of spinal vertebrae joints.

Joint fever – this is an acute state which precedes arthritis, because each inflammation leads to pathological changes.

Osteoporosis is a disease affecting the bones. The afflicted bones are fragile and look like Swiss cheese on x-ray. They suffer from a deficiency of calcium and other minerals and break easily, even under a very small load.

The disease typically starts with a reduced mobility in the mornings, accompanied by pain in the joints when first moving them; this pain subsides, however, after a little exercise. But you need more and more time and patience to overcome the rigidity and make the aching joint ready for movement. The pain gradually worsens and a swelling of the joint appears (often this may lead to a fever in the whole body). Mobility decreases rapidly; sometimes it may even immobilize the patient.

Every one of us is different. That means that also the disease progresses differently in each one. Lifestyle, type of work and stress factors also play an important role. If your joints ache slightly today, you cannot be sure whether this state will worsen in the next few days, months or years. If the joint is inflamed for a long time, it degenerates, and everything in it and around it loses its normal form, flexibility and elasticity. It starts to look like a hill after a battle. And it is exactly at this point when classical medicine does surgery and exchanges the afflicted joint for an artificial one. That is why it is better not to postpone the start of the treatment, so that you do not lose precious time.

The very first symptom is creaking joints. You hear a creaking sound when you bend your knees or rotate your shoulder. This is a stage when it is still relatively easy to treat the disease. Only few people, however, pay these symptoms any attention. Arthritis – this is not just a swelling, but rather a bone outgrowth. It is found mostly in our fingers, wrists, elbows, hips, knees and spine.

Fingers. They start turning to the side away from the thumb, reminding us a little of a seal’s flipper. Gradually they become paralyzed – first the little finger, then the ring finger and middle finger. Only the thumb and index finger stay partially mobile. At the onset of the disease, the fingers feel weak and their mobility is reduced, this is later joined by loss of feeling and in the last stage the fingers are just hanging down as if dead, although their temperature is normal.

Wrist. It swells, the creases on the inner side of the wrist disappear, and the skin is smooth and warmer than on other parts of the body. If you put pressure on the spot it hurts until finally you cannot move the wrist, let alone bend it.

Elbow. Each movement hurts more and more until the pain is almost unbearable. The elbow gradually becomes immobile and stays halfway bent as if fixed; the skin is very sensitive and the patient cannot stand even the touch of clothing.

Shoulder. The problem occurs especially in tennis and golf players. Individual muscle groups around the shoulders stop functioning properly and the afflicted person has greater and greater problems to lift the arms. 

Hips. Legs start to acquire the shape of the letter “O”, and muscles around the hips get shorter until you have to start crossing your legs when walking; later walking gets virtually impossible because you start falling right away. This is the most severe type of arthritis; a lot of work is necessary and the treatment takes longer.

Spine. You feel a deep pain, as if you were blown out inside by wind. The lumbar spine is very rigid; you experience difficulty moving in the mornings. Your extremities may start to tingle and you might feel a shooting pain in your body. Other symptoms are pins and needles, right arm/leg having a different temperature than the left.

Cervical spine – migraines, a sudden deafness (if deafness occurs as a symptom of cervical spine problems, the patient should see a doctor as soon as possible; the damage is irreparable a week after the deafness started); buzz in your ears and spinning head, a sudden and rapid worsening of eyesight.

Upper thoracic spine – causes heart pain, arrhythmia, tachycardia etc.

Lumbar and lower thoracic spine – influences the digestive tract, you may have constipation or diarrhea, intestinal problems, indigestion or ulcers. This part of the spine also influences the reproductive organs and bladder.

In classical treatment with medication and the usual rehabilitation, the joints do not repair much. True, such treatment is able to relieve the pain but only partially and for a short time. The patient develops an addiction to these drugs, which often causes depression and the problems only aggravate.

We have described in terms of anatomy the places where serious changes in joints may take place. But it is important to bear in mind that the switch is in the brain. All the known causes (stress, physical load, asymmetrical load of the joint), and also the deep breathing syndrome or diseases of the inner organs (dysfunction of thyroid gland, liver, adrenal glands etc.), infectious diseases accompanied by fever (influenza, tonsillitis) have a share in blocking the normal “healthy program” of our joints. This block is in reality the main problem, because it manages the progress of the disease in the body.

A successful treatment of arthritis and polyarthritis is nowadays possible. Everyone has a chance to get well.

Our method consists of a number of manual treatments which serve to unblock the health control centers in our brains. But, in order for the treatment to be truly effective it must be adjusted to individual needs.

Please note: Do all the exercises gently and carefully and follow the instructions as carefully as possible to get the maximum benefit.

1) Lie on your stomach with your right leg extended. Bend your left leg at the knee and pull your knee towards your left shoulder as far as possible. Repeat on the other side. It is best to do this exercise (once on each side) in the mornings when you get up.

3a) Kneel down with your legs together and put your head between your arms. Stretch your arms and put your hands on the floor. Lean on your hands and turn your feet in and out at the ankles.

4) Stand facing a table (or a wall, chest of drawers etc.) with your legs together, heels on the floor, and lean on a table (or wall) with your hands and elbows locked. Your hands should hold only your torso. The part of the body which is doing the exercise is the bottom, which we push to the front and to the back. This stretches the calves. Repeat at least 20 times.

6) Start with a “static squat” - Stand with feet together, torso slightly bending forward, heels on the floor; rest your hands on a table (or some other piece of furniture). Go down gradually into a full squat. Hold each position at least 5 seconds (but the longer the better). Gradually go up again (pause and hold again in between).

7) Lie on your back and bend your knees with the feet together. Place a hard pillow (a rolled-up towel etc.) between your knees. Press the knees toward each other and hold for at least 10 seconds 5 times in a row.

9) You need an assistant for this exercise. Lie on your stomach and bend your leg at the knee with the heel going towards your bottom. The other person holds your heel and gradually increases resistance. Repeat at least 10 times with each leg.