Certain words from medical and healthcare professionals may seem confronting and at times, well… scary! Terms such as “ degeneration” and “wear-and-tear” may set off alarm bells for anyone who is not familiar with how common these changes are in the average person who has no symptoms. Let’s have a look at some of the more common presentations.
So what does this mean for you? Ultimately, this may positively alter unrealistic expectations from healthcare professionals and patients, reduce health care costs and medical risks and improve patient outcomes. If you’re feeling unsure as to what step to take next, consult with your primary care physician and decide if trialing conservative management with a skilled Physical Therapist is the next step for you to take to improving your quality of life.
-Christian Cardenas, DPT, CSCS
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Doss, A. (2018). Wording wisely:
Including prevalence data and evidence based clinical outcomes of spinal and musculoskeletal degeneration in radiology reports. Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology, (625) 599-604.
