Doctor Uses
Engineering To Treat Arthritis
South Dennis, Massachusetts
- Osteoarthritis, also known as
wear and tear arthritis, is
often caused by unbalanced
transfer of body weight across
the joint. As a result, one
area of the joint is required to
take more of its share of the
body weight. The uneven load
distribution leads to breakdown
of the cartilage in the
over-loaded area of the joint.
The cartilage breakdown is what
causes the joint pain known as
osteoarthritis.
“This is a
biomechanical problem and
therefore requires a
biomechanical solution”, says Dr
Jeffrey P Davies, physician and
biomechanical engineer at St
Luke’s Health Alliance in South
Dennis. The 12 years Dr Davies
spent conducting research at the
Orthopedic Biomechanics
Laboratory at Mass General
Hospital and the five years he
has spent as a family physician
has inspired Dr Davies to
research how biomechanical
imbalances in joints lead to
cartilage overload.
Dr Davies
explains, “The cartilage
overload sets off the viscous
cycle that over-time ultimately
leads to joint destruction. “It
has always been my belief that
if we can correct the
biomechanical problems of the
joint early on we can prevent
the cartilage break-down that
ultimately leads to joint
destruction.”
“What is
fascinating to me is that by
making slight changes to the
loading patterns of the ankle
joint through the use of
relatively simple foot
orthotics, I can significantly
affect the loading patterns of
the knee, hip and low back,”
says Dr Davies. “By correcting
these imbalances we are
relieving pain and this, to me,
is very, very exciting.”
Dr Davies
does caution that the pain
relief is often not immediate.
Dr Davies explains, “The
biomechanical problems have
developed over a long period of
time. The body adapts to these
biomechanical imbalances by
lengthening and shortening
ligaments and tendons, and by
reshaping the bone. Simply
putting a foot orthotic into the
shoe does not immediately
correct the problem. However
once the biomechanics are
corrected, the body will, over
time, re-adapt to the now
corrected alignment. The goal
is to provide more uniform load
transfer across the joint, less
overload on the cartilage, less
pain and ultimately preserved
joint function. This technology
gives us the opportunity to help
many patients that, up to now,
have thought that the only
solution to their joint pain was
to take acetaminophen and/or
anti-inflammatory medication,
limit their activity and wait
until they were old enough for a
total joint replacement.”
S.C is one
such patient helped by this new
technology. S.C. explains,
“When I went to my primary care
doctor with my knee pain he told
me I had early osteoarthritis.
He actually told me that
arthritis was something that I
would have to learn to live
with; it was part of getting
old. He suggested that I begin
taking regular daily doses of
pain medicine. I heard about
the work Dr Davies was a doing
through a friend. The analysis
that Dr Davies performed was
fascinating. After Dr. Davies
reviewed the results of the
analysis with me, I understood
what was causing my pain. It
made perfect sense. Dr Davies
explained the treatment plan
which consisted of foot
orthotics, exercises and natural
supplements. After just a few
weeks I am now more active and
almost pain free. I feel
grateful that I have taken
action to relieve my pain rather
than becoming a victim to it.”
Contact
Jeffrey P. Davies, D.O.
St. Luke’s Health Alliance, Inc
900 Route 134
South Dennis, MA 02660
Phone: 508-385-0890
Fax: 508-437-0707
Email: StLukes@Verizon.net
