Chiropractor performing a knee and hip adjustment

Arthritis Care in Jacksonville

Name: Duval Spine & Rehab
Address: 9191 R G Skinner Pkwy Unit 901, Jacksonville, FL, 32256, US
Telephone: (904) 490-7445
Price range: $$

Stiffness that lingers after you get moving, joints that feel less flexible than they used to, or discomfort that keeps returning can all make everyday activities harder. Arthritis may develop gradually, but understanding how the affected joint is functioning can help determine what options may be available.

The Inflammation Behind the Stiffness

Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joint, and there are many types. The degenerative kind seen most often develops when a joint stops moving the way it should. When biomechanics are off, inflammation can develop, and the body’s protective response may gradually calcify and restrict the joint. That protects the area in one sense, but it limits range of motion over time and can eventually lead to joint fusion. The body works on a use-it-or-lose-it principle. If the joint isn’t moving properly, your body will fuse it.

Why Repetitive Load Wears Joints Down

Certain patterns put more strain on joints than others, and many patients don’t notice the effects until stiffness or pain sets in. Several everyday factors can affect how well your joints move and contribute to ongoing strain, including:

Repetitive rotation from golf, tennis, or similar activities
Years of physically demanding or load-bearing work
Old injuries that changed how a joint moves

Prolonged sitting or standing without movement breaks
Natural wear that accelerates once motion is lost

For golfers around Deer Creek, Deerwood Country Club, and Cimarrone, years of rotation and loading can add to existing biomechanical problems in the hips and spine.

Stiffness That Doesn’t Fully Let Go

Arthritis often starts as stiffness that eases once you get moving, then creeps back by the end of the day. As it progresses, a joint may become uncomfortable with pressure or feel restricted rather than simply achy.

It’s easy to write this off as normal aging, especially when an X-ray or scan looks unremarkable. But a static image captures one moment, not how the joint moves through three dimensions or functions during everyday activity.

But a static image captures one moment, not how the joint moves through three dimensions or functions during everyday activity.

Instrument-Assisted Options for Sensitive Joints

We evaluate how each joint is moving, not just what a picture shows. In earlier stages of degenerative arthritis, some patients may do well with manual adjustments.

For inflamed or sensitive joints, Dr. Scheets may first work with surrounding soft tissue before using instrument adjusting like ArthroStim®. This instrument allows him to control the amount of pressure delivered while creating an effect similar to a manual adjustment.

For arthritis affecting spinal discs, flexion-distraction and intersegmental traction can help restore movement and encourage blood flow and nutrients into the area. Our chiropractor uses these approaches with the goal of maintaining disc motion and slowing further degeneration where possible.

When the Goal Shifts to Maintaining Function

When arthritis is advanced and joint replacement is already being considered, the goal may become more palliative than corrective. Care can focus on making daily life more manageable while also addressing areas that are compensating for the damaged joint.

An arthritic hip, for example, can place additional stress on the spine because it no longer moves normally. Maintaining movement and function elsewhere may help reduce that added strain while the patient and their medical team determine when surgery is appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still get chiropractic care if I have arthritis?

In many cases, yes. The type and stage of arthritis determine the approach. Earlier degenerative changes may allow for manual adjusting, while sensitive or inflamed joints may call for lower-force techniques such as Activator Methods® or ArthroStim.

I’ve tried injections and anti-inflammatories without lasting improvement. Why am I still struggling?

Those approaches may provide temporary symptom relief without changing how the affected joint moves. Chiropractic care looks at biomechanics and joint function to determine whether restricted movement may still be contributing to the problem.

My doctor said my arthritis is age related, but I’m still functionally limited. What might be missing?

Imaging provides useful structural information, but it doesn’t show exactly how a joint functions through movement. Assessing motion in three dimensions may reveal functional limitations that aren’t obvious on a static image. When a patient tells me that arthritis at a particular spinal level or joint is merely age related, I ask them, ‘How old is your healthy joint?’ Of course, the healthy joints are the same age as the arthritic joints, so obviously there are other factors at play,’ says Dr. Scheets.

Keep Doing More of What You Enjoy

Stop working around a joint that’s been holding you back. Contact us to schedule a chiropractic evaluation.

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