Arthritis
Is Arthritis Limiting Your Abilities?
If you’re looking for pain relief, look no further
Do you ever wake up with stiff joints that make it difficult to get moving in the morning? They may become less painful as the day goes on, but you may be experiencing early-onset arthritis. This is a common condition that many people develop; however, many live with their painful joints for far too long before seeking help.
Thankfully, physical therapy is one treatment option that you can turn to for arthritis pain. One of our licensed physical therapists at Benton Physical Therapy, Malvern Physical Therapy and ProActive Physical Therapy will provide you with gentle exercises to help improve your range of motion, flexibility, and overall function in the affected joint(s).
Our therapists will provide you with the resources and knowledge you need to prevent arthritis-related injuries in the future as well. Additionally, we will evaluate which joints are stiff and painful, and assess which exercises will be beneficial in providing pain relief for your arthritis during everyday activities.
What type of arthritis do I have?
Arthritis causes pain and inflammation, and it can affect one or multiple joints at once. According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis affects over 50 million people and it is currently the leading cause of disability across the nation. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and are the two most commonly experienced types.
Osteoarthritis
As the most commonly experienced form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is typically easy to diagnose. It can be caused by a sudden injury to the joint, or it can develop after a previous injury has fully healed.
Let’s say you were an athlete in college who experienced a harsh blow to the knee. You received treatment, recovered, and returned to the game. Although the injury healed, there is a possibility that the damage that occurred to the cartilage or surrounding muscles has resulted in a decrease of support to the joint. The motion of the joint may also have slightly been altered. Therefore, it is still possible for you to develop osteoarthritis from that injury later in life.
The same rules go for overuse or repetitive motion careers. For example, if you are a construction worker who swings a hammer in repetitive motions as a crucial part of your job, you may develop osteoarthritis in the joints of your elbows or hands.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage of the joint wears down, either due to age or overuse. This causes pain in the joint, as the cartilage is no longer acting as the thick cushion that it once was. Without a cushion, the bones grind together, which in turn causes an inflammatory response in the joint.
Being overweight may also put you at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis, as it adds additional strain to your knee and hip joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis develops as an autoimmune response, meaning that the immune system sees the joints as a threat and decides to attack them. Rheumatoid arthritis, aka “inflammatory arthritis,” is also fairly common, although it is not as easily understood.
Researchers have come to believe that a person’s medical history, environment, and hormones could all be contributing factors toward the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
This condition is typically more prevalent in females than males as well. Because it is an autoimmune condition, it is common for it to affect the same joints on different sides of the body.
Those suffering from arthritis typically report soreness around joints, which is worse after prolonged sitting, standing, or inactivity. Pain can get worse when you move, for example, bending over at the knees to pick something up may be uncomfortable for you. You may notice popping or clicking sounds in the affected joint(s) with movement, and the joint may be sensitive or painful to the touch. Arthritis can also cause pain when you exercise or work, and the pain may go away after you stop doing that activity.
How can physical therapy help relieve my arthritis pain?
Physical therapy helps by restoring the normal motion of your joints, improving the strength of supporting muscles, and improving the way you walk, run, bend, and move.
If you are suffering from arthritis, or you think you might be, you could greatly benefit from physical therapy treatments at Benton Physical Therapy, Malvern Physical Therapy and ProActive Physical Therapy.
In many cases, physical therapy treatments can even help you avoid the need for surgery, medications, and injections.
Our treatments are tailored to your specific needs to help you recover quickly and have a more permanent outcome. We also teach you ways to prevent future joint injury, and what you can do on your own with the correct therapeutic exercises.
Are you ready to find relief once and for all?
Contact Benton Physical Therapy, Malvern Physical Therapy and ProActive Physical Therapy today to find out how our services can help you find long-lasting pain relief for your arthritis. We will treat you with the utmost care, compassion, and understanding of your condition. You can rest assured that your symptoms and concerns will be taken into consideration as your customized treatment plan is built out for you.
One of our Sheridan, Malvern, Benton, and Bryant, AR physical therapists will conduct a physical evaluation to determine what the best course of treatment will be for you.
Don’t let your arthritis limit you any longer – request your appointment today.
