Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis treatment in Hilversum

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint condition and spinal stenosis is one of its consequences in the back and neck. Neither can be reversed, but the pain, stiffness and radiating symptoms they cause respond well to treatment. Our chiropractors and physiotherapists help you move better, keep moving and avoid surgery where possible.
Book an appointment

What osteoarthritis is, and what it is not

Every joint is covered with smooth cartilage and lubricated by joint fluid. From our twenties onwards the cartilage slowly loses quality, the lubrication decreases and the bone surface changes. This process is osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis or wear and tear. It happens to everyone; there are even traces of it in Neanderthal skeletons. It mainly affects the weight bearing joints, the knees and hips, and the small facet joints of the lower back and neck. Risk factors are age, a previous injury, heavy or repetitive loading, overweight and family history.

The important point: osteoarthritis on an X ray does not equal pain. Many people with clear wear on a scan have no complaints, and many painful joints show little on imaging. Pain comes from a joint that has stopped moving well, from the guarding muscles around it and from irritated nerves, and those are exactly the things we can treat. A chiropractor or physiotherapist does not treat the cartilage; we treat the consequences, so the joint moves more freely and hurts less. For knees and hips in particular, see also our page on hip and knee pain.

Spinal stenosis: when the nerve runs out of space

The spinal cord and nerves run through a canal formed by the vertebrae. Osteoarthritis of the facet joints, thickened ligaments and bulging discs can narrow that canal (central stenosis) or the openings where the nerves leave the spine (foraminal stenosis). In the lower back this gives pain, heaviness or cramping in the legs when walking or standing, which eases when you sit or lean forward on a shopping trolley. In the neck it gives pain, tingling or weakness in the arms.

Stenosis is a condition of the over fifties and it is treatable without surgery in most cases: the decompression table and targeted mobilisation create space, and training keeps it. Bring your MRI or X ray report; it helps us judge the prognosis. Related: herniated disc and sciatica.

Book an appointment

Complaints we treat

Stiff, painful lower back in the morning

Chiropractor examining the lower back of an older patient with osteoarthritis

Facet joint osteoarthritis: stiffness on getting up that eases after moving, pain when standing long or bending backwards, sometimes radiating to the buttock. The most common cause of back pain over fifty and very responsive to mobilisation and training. See also back pain.

Read more

Leg pain when walking (stenosis)

Older couple walking in the woods near Hilversum, movement is the treatment for osteoarthritis

Heavy, tired or painful legs after a few hundred metres, relief when sitting or bending forward. Often called neurogenic claudication. Treated with decompression, mobilisation of the lumbar spine and a walking and strength programme that increases your distance step by step.

Read more

Neck osteoarthritis with arm symptoms

Illustration of facet joint osteoarthritis in the lumbar spine

Stiff neck, grinding sounds, headache from the neck and tingling or pain into the shoulder and arm. Cervical decompression and gentle mobilisation give space to the nerve; exercises keep the neck strong. See neck pain.

Read more

More information in English

Everything MoveWell offers in English, from complaints to rates: start at MoveWell in English.

Moving is the treatment

The biggest mistake with osteoarthritis is rest. Cartilage has no blood supply; it is fed by movement, and a joint that moves less becomes stiffer and more painful. The solution is to move well and to load the joint in the right way: free the joint, strengthen the muscles that carry it, and keep walking, cycling or swimming. In our medical fitness centre you can do this under supervision, with equipment that adjusts the load to your joints.

Book an appointment

How we treat osteoarthritis and stenosis

Examination and honest prognosis

Patient with osteoarthritis exercising under supervision at MoveWell

We examine the movement of the joint and the spine, muscle strength, balance, walking pattern and nerve function, and we read your scans. We tell you what can improve and how much. Some patients with severe stenosis do need a specialist; we say so and help you arrange it.

Read more

Freeing the joint

Spinal decompression treatment for lumbar stenosis at MoveWell Hilversum

Gentle mobilisation and, where appropriate, light adjustments of the stiff segments; the decompression table for the lower back and neck, which unloads the discs and creates space for the nerves; muscle techniques for the guarding muscles.

Read more

Strength, balance and walking

Strength and balance training for osteoarthritis in the medical fitness centre

Our physiotherapists and exercise therapists build the muscles around the joint, train balance to prevent falls and extend your walking distance. Many patients continue in the medical fitness centre, with a programme adjusted to their joints.

Read more

Why MoveWell for osteoarthritis

Back centre with the right equipment

Decompression table at MoveWell used for stenosis and disc problems

Decompression tables, rehabilitation equipment that measures the load and a medical fitness centre under one roof. Few practices in the region have all three.

Direct access, fast

MoveWell practice in Medisch Centrum Dudokpark

No referral needed, acute complaints usually within 24 hours, open until 21:00 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Dutch supplementary insurance reimburses chiropractic, no deductible.

Chiropractic and physiotherapy together

Physiotherapist treating a patient with osteoarthritis

The chiropractor frees the joint, the physiotherapist makes it strong. One file, one plan, no sending you back and forth.

Our specialists for osteoarthritis and stenosis

Meet the team

Frequently asked questions about osteoarthritis and stenosis

Can a chiropractor treat osteoarthritis?

A chiropractor cannot repair cartilage, but can treat the stiffness, pain and muscle guarding that osteoarthritis causes. Gentle mobilisation improves the movement of the joint and reduces pain; training keeps the result. Most patients with osteoarthritis of the spine, hip or knee improve clearly.

Is chiropractic treatment safe with osteoarthritis or osteoporosis?

Yes, with adapted techniques. For older patients and patients with osteoporosis we use light mobilisation, instrument techniques and the decompression table rather than forceful adjustments. We always ask about bone density and read your scans.

Can spinal stenosis be treated without surgery?

In most cases yes. Decompression therapy, mobilisation and a training programme reduce the pressure on the nerves and increase walking distance. Surgery is reserved for severe stenosis with progressive weakness or when conservative treatment fails; we tell you honestly when that is the case.

Should I keep walking with stenosis?

Yes, within the limits of the pain, and ideally slightly bent forward, for example with walking poles or a bicycle. Cycling is usually painless because the bent position opens the canal. We help you build up distance gradually.

Do I need an X ray or MRI?

Not necessarily. The examination usually gives the diagnosis. Imaging is useful when symptoms radiate, when there is weakness, or when treatment does not progress as expected. If you already have scans, bring the report.

Is treatment reimbursed?

Chiropractic and physiotherapy are reimbursed from Dutch supplementary insurance without deductible. Some chronic conditions qualify for physiotherapy from the basic insurance after the twentieth session; we check this for you.

Does the weather make osteoarthritis worse?

Many patients feel stiffer in cold, damp weather, probably because of changes in joint fluid and muscle tension. The pattern is real but harmless; staying warm and moving regularly helps more than any supplement.

Do supplements or injections help?

Evidence for glucosamine and similar supplements is weak. Injections can give temporary relief in a painful flare and are something to discuss with your doctor; they do not replace the movement and strength that keep the joint working. We combine well with both when you use them.

Osteoarthritis and stenosis treatment for Hilversum and the Gooi region

MoveWell, Hoge Naarderweg 3E, Hilversum, in Medisch Centrum Dudokpark. Patients from Bussum, Laren, Naarden, Huizen, Loosdrecht, Baarn, Weesp and Almere, 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam and Utrecht. Move well, feel better!

Would you like to move more freely again?

Book an appointment
Call 035 760 06 45