Arthritis Pain Relief
Arthritis affects the cartilage of joints and most pain is due to wear and tear. However, the uneven wear and tear causes cartilage debris to be shaved off into the joint causing painful inflammation. This condition is made worse by a tightening of the tissue of the joint, loss of muscle strength supporting the joint, and altered movement because of range of motion problems.
Physical therapy is one of the most important treatments for arthritis and makes a significant impact on your joint health. While arthritis can slow you, it doesn’t have to. If you are suffering from arthritis, PT can change your life.
In physical therapy, we focus on the following:
- Restoring a natural pain-free range of motion in your joints
- Improving muscular support and strength around your joints
- Enhancing joint balance and function
- Teaching you what to do to protect your joints from further damage
While we cannot repair your cartilage, our unique treatments can reduce or completely alleviate your pain and swelling and improve your ability to walk, run, bend, or reach.
Here are some of the different conditions we help with:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Joint Pain
- Post-Surgery Recovery
- Joint Replacement Recovery
Free Consultation at Toledo, Sylvania, Perrysburg, Maumee & Swanton, OH centers to learn more how Our Physical Therapists can help you feel your best and enjoy life without arthritis pain.
FAQs
What are the symptoms of arthritis pain?
Do your joints feel stiff, achy, or painful, especially when you wake up in the morning? If so, you may be experiencing the effects of arthritis. This is one of the most common symptoms of arthritis, but it is common to also experience accompanying symptoms. Other sensations you may experience with arthritis include pain in the affected region, which may spread to surrounding body parts; persistent stiffness; inflammation; muscle spasms, joint creaking, clicking, or popping sounds; increased pain with certain activities, such as work or exercise; decreased range of motion in the affected area, abnormalities in gait, such as limping; swelling; weakness; and a warm sensation in the affected joint.
What are the best physical therapy treatments for arthritis pain?
Regardless of the cause of arthritis, physical therapy plays a major role in the treatment of its symptoms. Your physical therapist will conduct a physical evaluation to analyze your joint movement, muscle strength, and overall function, in order to pinpoint the exact areas that are causing you pain. You will then be prescribed a personalized treatment plan, focused around your specific needs. Treatment plans will include targeted stretches and exercises aimed at relieving your pain and improving your function, in addition to any specialized methods your physical therapist deems fit. This may include manual therapy, ice and heat therapies, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound. Your physical therapist may also include additional services as needed, such as weight management techniques to help ease some stress on your joints, and/or posture improvement to relieve stiffness and prevent injury.
Can arthritis affect different body parts?
There are over 100 different types of arthritis, containing monoarthritis (where only one joint is affected) and oligoarthritis (where multiple joints are affected). According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 54.4 million U.S. adults are diagnosed with some form of arthritis per year. As we age, the cartilage in our joints wears down, causing painful bone-on-bone rubbing, inflammation, stiffness, and pain. While it is possible for arthritis to develop in any of the joints, the fingers, elbows, shoulders, lower back, hips, and knees are among the most common.
Can arthritis be cured?
While there is no cure for arthritis yet, it is possible to alleviate arthritic symptoms by improving your joint movement, muscle strength, balance, and coordination through physical therapy treatments. In some cases, physical therapy can even make it possible to eliminate symptoms entirely. For best results, it is in your best interest to consult with a physical therapist as soon as you begin noticing arthritic symptoms. The sooner they get treated, the easier they are to manage. Whatever type of arthritis you may be suffering from, physical therapy undoubtedly plays an important role in pain relief. In addition, it can also help you avoid the need for harmful pain-management drugs or invasive surgical correction.
