How Physical Therapy Can Help You Manage Arthritis
Caused by lifelong wear and tear or as a result of an injury, arthritis affects your joints, which can cause pain and discomfort in many adults. The most common joints affected by arthritis include the knees, hips, hands, wrists, ankles, and shoulders. Arthritis is very common in adults of all ages, with around 53 million adults in the U.S. currently diagnosed, and this number is expected to gradually increase over the years.
Knowing how to manage your arthritis symptoms is extremely important, especially when it comes to improving your overall quality of life. Proper pain management in the form of physical therapy can help to reduce pain, prevent long-term disability, and it can help you live a happier and more fulfilled life.
Although arthritis is not curable, it’s certainly possible to manage arthritis effectively in support of the quality of daily life and your mental health. Continuing with your regular, day-to-day activities is vital to a fulfilled life, so keep reading to find out how physical therapy can help you manage arthritis.
Different Types of Arthritis
There are a number of different types of arthritis, which are diagnosed by a medical professional. After your arthritis has been diagnosed, talk to your healthcare professional about the best possible treatment option tailored to your individual case.
The main types of arthritis are:
Osteoarthritis: This type comes in the form of joint pain, tenderness, reduced range of motion, and stiffness that tends to worsen with movement and continual activity.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: An autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis results in swelling, stiffness, joint pain, and other effects such as tiredness and weight loss. These symptoms usually develop gradually due to the immune system attacking the lining of the joints.
Post-traumatic Arthritis: This condition develops after an injury occurs to a joint. Symptoms can appear several months or years after the trauma, but usually include swelling, reduced range of motion, instability, and soreness.
Arthritis Effects and Treatment Options
Arthritis can not only be physically painful, but it can take its toll on your mental health, too. When left untreated, you could be left with permanent injury, loss of movement, persistent pain, irreparable damage, as well as depression, anxiety, and severe mental health implications.
This is why it’s important to consider the treatment options available to you. There are several surgical and non-surgical treatment options to explore, some of which are outlined below:
Non-Surgical Arthritis Treatments
Medication: Pain medication can be prescribed to reduce daily discomfort and inflammation.
Physical Therapy: Working alongside a trained physical therapist can be part of a long-term treatment plan to strengthen your muscles, improve mobility, and alleviate ongoing stiffness.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits: Improving your daily activities, staying active, and eating healthily can help combat the negative physical symptoms of arthritis. Certain exercises such as swimming can also help promote healthy movement with reduced strain on the joints.
Surgical Arthritis Treatments
Arthroscopy: This procedure is conducted to remove damaged bone fragments or cartilage to enhance joint function.
Joint Realignment: In this approach, the bone is cut and reshaped to reduce pressure and weight on the joint.
Partial Joint Replacement: With partial joint replacement, the damaged portion of the joint is removed and replaced with prosthetic elements so that pain is reduced and mobility is restored.
Full Knee Replacement: A full knee replacement is to restore function and ease pain by removing bone and cartilage and replacing the three main knee elements with artificial components.
Physical Therapy from Orthopedic Specialists of Idaho
All of the outlined options have their benefits, and a healthcare professional can provide guidance regarding treatment. At Orthopedic Specialists of Idaho, we specialize in physical therapy, a non-invasive and highly effective non-surgical approach to arthritis that can help you dramatically improve your overall quality of life.
Before you get started with your physical therapy program, you’ll need to obtain a full diagnosis from a registered physician. This will usually involve a full orthopedic evaluation, which entails the following steps:
- X-Rays
- A physical examination
- A review of your medical background
- Additional testing, depending on what is found
During your orthopedic exam, you will be asked about your levels of pain, the area the arthritis is affecting, and how long the symptoms have been going on. This exam can help the medical professional diagnose your arthritis and recommend the best treatment plan going forward.
We work to help patients find appropriate, effective treatment plans that suit their needs and lifestyles, focused on the goal of improving their physical conditions and reducing their day-to-day pain.
The Benefits of Physical Therapy
Recognized positive outcomes of physical therapy include:
Strengthened Muscles
A physical therapist can help you engage in various strengthening and stretching movements to help build up your strength over time. This muscle strengthening can reduce pressure on your joints as your muscles aren’t having to work as hard as before.
Improved Flexibility
Improving your joint function and flexibility is vital when it comes to reducing pain related to arthritis. Various exercises to increase your mobility and flexibility can be used in support of full range of motion restoration in the area that’s bothering you.
Alleviated Stiffness
Stiffness is a common side effect of arthritis and can gradually be improved via physical therapy. Strengthened muscles can help reduce pain and improve blood flow, which will counteract severe stiffness that is often experienced.
Improved Balance
Arthritis can affect coordination and balance. Specific exercises during physical therapy can help to improve both coordination and balance over time. Putting focus on your balance will prevent trips and falls in the future that are caused by the symptoms of arthritis.
Mental Benefits
Reduced anxiety is one benefit associated with physical therapy. Another is a reduction in depression. Physical therapy can also help individuals build emotional resilience, manage stress, and improve mental clarity.
Local Physical Therapy for Arthritis
Our local orthopedic specialists provide physical therapy to help treat arthritis. Experience how your quality of life can be improved with targeted arthritis treatment.
Call us at 208-522-6662 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you benefit from effective arthritis treatment.