Prolotherapy and the Older Patient
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Losing the ability to be mobile and active is possibly the worst thing that can happen to people as they age. Activity truly keeps the blood flowing. Joints like the hips and knees depend on walking and weight-bearing activities to provide nourishment to the joint cartilage. No walking, no nourishment. No nourishment, no cartilage. No cartilage, no movement. Walking keeps people alive and keeps the body functioning It stiffness sets in, the grave may follow.
Because most bodily functions decline with age, the ability to heal an injury and the immune system response are slower. With age, the ligament and tendon tissue contain less water, noncollagenous protein, and proteoglycans. Proteoglycans are a proteinaceous material containing a large quantity of water that allow structures like ligaments, intervertebral discs, and articular cartilage to withstand intense pressure.
Chronic ligament and tendon laxity is a reason for chronic pain in the aging population. For these reasons, older people may respond slower and because of this slower healing more Prolotherapy sessions may be needed.
Pain is not a normal part of the aging process. Chronic pain always has a cause and that cause is not old age syndrome. Chronic pain is almost always due to ligament weakness. Prolotherapy can help strengthen ligaments at any age and is the treatment of choice for chronic pain, regardless of age.
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