I often treat people who have pain in the knee joint, the shoulder, or the wrist. Inevitably, the person sees their physician and an x-ray is taken. Arthritis is found and a cortisone shot is given and/or an anti-inflammatory drug is prescribed. When these don't work or they work for a short period of time, surgery is suggested to remove the arthritis.

The problem with this is that, in almost every case, arthritis is not the cause of pain at a joint. Arthritis simply exists and is causing no symptom and therefore requires no intervention. Studies have shown that as many people with no pain have arthritis at their joints as those with pain. The studies are concluding that there is almost no correlation between the findings of arthritis and other structural abnormalities, such as herniated discs, stenosis, meniscal tears of the knee, and rotator cuff tears of the shoulder and pain.

So, what does cause pain at a joint in most cases is muscle weakness or an imbalance. Here's how it works. Joints are nothing more than pivot points where movement can occur to allow functional tasks to be accomplished. These pivot points can function even when altered structurally as long as range of motion is obtainable. The alignment of the bones that make up joints, including their joint surfaces, is determined by the pulls of the muscles that pass the joint. These muscles are responsible for moving the joints and creating stability. The location of bones and joint surfaces is not arbitrary. It is determined by the cumulative forces of the muscles that pass the joint. If one muscle is weak, there is misalignment of the joint surfaces. If there is a muscle imbalance, there is misalignment of the joint surfaces. Ultimately, once a misalignment occurs, the joint surfaces rub in a way that they shouldn't. This creates irritation and pain at the joint.

The solution to resolving pain at joints, in most cases, is to create strong, flexible, and balanced muscles. Aggressive, targeted strength training is the only solution to achieving this goal. No other form of treatment can accomplish what is needed to keep joints pain-free and fully functional. Proper strength, flexibility, and balance of muscle guarantee that the surfaces of a joint are aligned properly. This allows the joint to absorb the forces that occur due stability and movement. With the forces being absorbed properly, there is little to no chance of irritation and pain developing.

I strongly suggest this view be taken into consideration before following the typical practice of getting cortisone shots and surgery for joint pain. In my experience those who followed this process, ended up being treated by me for muscle deficits when these techniques failed.