What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease of the bones. During the growth phase of the bones, the cartilage is normally transformed into bone. If there is a disorder, the cartilage layer becomes larger and larger and does not transform into bone. The two best-known types of osteochondrosis are osteochondrosis dissecans and osteochondrosis intervertebralis.
What is osteochondrosis intervertebralis?
Wear and tear on the vertebrae due to constant incorrect loading caused by standing or sitting for too long can have a negative effect on the spine. Over a long period of time, the intervertebral discs absorb the incorrect load. As a result, they lose size and can no longer absorb shocks well. If now Lack of exercise is added to this, the muscles also slacken and cannot support the intervertebral discs in absorbing shocks and strain, with the frequent consequence of a herniated disc. But it doesn't have to be just the classic slipped disc. Scoliosis can also cause osteochondrosis due to the pathological malposition.
A doctor recognises osteochondrosis intervertebralis by the decreasing height of intervertebral discs or the hardening of bone tissue due to an increase in connective tissue (sclerosis). Due to the high load on the lumbar spine, the disease often occurs in the lower part of the spine, but diseases in the area of the cervical spine are also known.
What is osteochondrosis dissecans?
Osteochondrosis dissecans occurs in joints that are heavily loaded, such as the knee joint, ankle joint or elbow joint. The cause of this type of osteochondrosis is bone decomposition, which means that the body cannot convert its own cartilage cells into bone material quickly enough. If strong mechanical loads, for example running, are absorbed by healthy joints, the bone and cartilage substance can weaken over time and eventually become detached. This leads to a change in the joint surfaces. Incidentally, rheumatism can also trigger osteochondrosis dissecans.
What other forms of osteochondrosis are there?
Osteochondrosis can occur as Scheuermann's disease even in young people. Since the spine of young people is susceptible to poor posture due to sitting too often for long periods of time in combination with weak back muscles, there is a lot of incorrect loading here. Damage occurs to the growth zone between the vertebrae and the vertebrae grow more slowly than they should. If the weakness is not recognised in time and relieving postures are adopted, damage that has already occurred (hunchback) can no longer be reversed.
Another form of orchondrosis is Perthes' disease, an orthopaedic childhood disease that occurs predominantly in boys with white skin between the ages of five and nine. Presumably due to circulatory disorders or hormonal dysfunction, there is an enlargement of the femoral head with accompanying pain.
How can osteonechondrosis be prevented?
Most types of this disease can be counteracted by gymnastic exercises and targeted movement to strengthen the muscles. Especially in the case of back disorders, there are a variety of ways to build up abdominal and back muscles, for example by dynamic-active sitting on a Aeris Swopper. It has also been scientifically proven that many osteochondrosis patients suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which is why the right diet also plays a role in prevention. A sufficient supply of vitamin D is recommended, as well as the intake of food with easily utilisable minerals such as dairy products and fish, but meat only in small quantities.
