What is Musculoskeletal Degeneration?

Breakdown in muscles, bones, joints, and other surrounding tissues is common with age, genetics, or trauma. If left untreated, long-term musculoskeletal degeneration can lead to chronic disorders that limit joint range and cause debilitating pain that distracts from daily life. Board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician Dr. Asare Christian and the team at Aether Medicine assist patients residing near Wayne, PA with their musculoskeletal health needs so they can continue participating in activities they love or need to do.

What is musculoskeletal degeneration?

Musculoskeletal degeneration refers to the process where muscles, bones, tendons, joints, cartilage, and ligaments break down or deteriorate. Long-term degeneration without treatment can cause these tissues to die, resulting in reduced joint mobility, decreased strength, and increased pain with movement. At Aether Medicine, Dr. Christian appreciates the value in diagnosing musculoskeletal degeneration early and providing his patients with treatment to help prevent permanent musculoskeletal disease.

What causes musculoskeletal degeneration?

Multiple factors contribute to musculoskeletal breakdown, including:

• Trauma

• Repetitive use injury

• Poor body positioning

• Age

• Genetics

• Congenital defects

In some cases, more than one factor could be responsible for tissue deterioration. Dr. Christian utilizes a wide variety of standardized assessments, collects your personal history, and listens to your concerns to help identify the exact cause(s) of your symptoms.

What are some examples of degenerative musculoskeletal disorders?

Since the musculoskeletal system is widespread throughout the human body, musculoskeletal degeneration can occur just about anywhere, including the hips, shoulders, elbows, spine, knees, ankles, wrists, and digits. Common musculoskeletal disorders or medical conditions include:

• Tendonitis

• Arthritis

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Osteoarthritis

• Lower back pain

• Carpal tunnel syndrome

• Degenerative disc disease

• Lupus

• Scoliosis

• Muscle strain

• Trigger finger

• Rotator cuff injury

What is musculoskeletal medicine?

Musculoskeletal medicine is a branch of medicine that specifically diagnoses, treats, and manages acute or chronic conditions of the skeleton and muscles. The primary goal of musculoskeletal medicine is to provide patients with optimal care to alleviate pain, restore joint mobility, and avoid invasive surgery for as long as possible. At Aether Medicine, Dr. Christian is experienced in providing multiple treatment options for a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions.

Am I an ideal candidate for musculoskeletal medicine?

Dr. Christian accepts patients for treatment if they:

• Are ten years old or older

• Display signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal degeneration or disorder

• Have experienced an injury to muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, joints, or cartilage

• Exhibit decreased joint mobility

• Are looking for noninvasive or minimally invasive treatment options to manage their musculoskeletal symptoms

Each treatment plan is highly customized to help meet each patient’s individual needs.

What musculoskeletal treatment options are available?

At Aether Medicine, Dr. Christian offers any of the following treatment options for musculoskeletal degeneration:

• Lifestyle modifications

• Alternative medications

• Anti-inflammatory medications

• Complementary supplements

• Manual or physical therapy

• Pain management injections

• Mindfulness and relaxation techniques

Musculoskeletal treatments can be administered concurrently or separately over a certain period, depending on the patient, their goals, and the extent of tissue breakdown.

Learn more about musculoskeletal degeneration and available treatment options

If you reside in or near Wayne, PA, and wish to explore musculoskeletal medicine to see if treatment options can help alleviate your symptoms, contact our team at Aether Medicine and schedule a consultation today. Dr. Asare Christian will introduce you to available interventions and make recommendations for treatment based on your personal needs so you can get back to a higher quality of life.