Prevention of Joint Cartilage Damages

Prevention of Joint Cartilage Damages and

Improvement of its Nutrition Utilising Excercises

from the System Yoga in Daily Life

Martin Repko, assoc. prof., MD, PhD

Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

Recens, orthopaedic-physiotherapeutical center Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract:

Primary affection in arthrosis represents damage of joint cartilage. The affection of cartilage is caused by overusing or mechanical damage and it is obviously irreversible. The cartilage of adults is without blood nutrition and therefore with no possibility of spontaneous reparation. The elementary nutrition is done by difusion of synovial liquid – takeout of the liquid from the cartilage during compression of the joint and absorbtion during joint releasing. The modern medicine utilises conservative tretament methods (chondroprotectives) as well as surgical ones (arthroscopy, cartilage replacement, total endoprosthesis).

Yogic excercises are good prevention of cartilage damage and they make optimal conditions for cartilage nutrition. Relaxed and consciously conducted yogic movement leads to perfect joint nutrition caused by repetitive compression and relaxation of the cartilage without any secondary overusing of joint structures. Stretching and relaxation lead to physiological range of joint movement. Muscle strenghtening maintains correct tension and muscle force of each and every muscle group.

Yogic excercises allow decreasing of painful sensations, improvement of range of motion and enhacing of blood nutrition of each joint structure in case of present arthrosis changes.

We are using combination of asanas, pranayama and relaxation techniques from the system Yoga in Daily Life. Yogic movement has to be accompanied by relaxation and breath harmonisation