Arthritis is an umbrella term encompassing several joint disorders affecting 53.2 million people in the United States. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis can significantly impact your mobility and overall quality of life. It currently doesn’t have a cure and is a degenerative condition. Fortunately, physical therapy can be a practical treatment choice to help manage the effects arthritis can have on your life.
Common types of arthritis
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Osteoarthritis (OA) — OA is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints. It causes pain and stiffness. OA development has no known cause, and it is often associated with old age, especially those over 50. However, it can affect people at any age. The most frequently affected joints are the knees and hips. OA affects more than 32.5 million people in the United States. As this condition progresses, it can cause damage to the soft tissue in joints, causing pain, swelling and even a loss of mobility. Diminished mobility can further affect muscle tone, causing added stress on affected joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — RA is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease caused by the immune system attacking healthy cells in the body by mistake. RA is most commonly associated with joints; however, it can also attack other body areas like the heart, lungs, circulatory system and the eyes. The inflammation caused by RA can lead to joint damage. RA is less common than OA, affecting an estimated 1.5 million people in the US. It can affect people of any age and happens more frequently in women. Like OA, there is no known cause triggering this condition.
Physical therapy treatments that can help arthritis
Physical therapy can be an effective treatment option for helping to manage arthritis and its effects on your life. Some physical therapy treatments that can be beneficial for arthritis pain include:
- Exercises — Stretching and strengthening exercises can help target muscle groups around affected joints. By strengthening these muscles, it can help to stabilize arthritis-affected joints. Improving strength and stability can help improve your mobility and reduce the effects of arthritis on your daily activities.
- Manual therapy — Manual therapy techniques like joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization can help with arthritis pain. Joint mobilization is the gentle but firm movements guided by a physical therapist to affected joints. It helps improve mobility, reduce stiffness and alleviate discomfort. Soft tissue mobilization helps to reduce muscle tension that can be associated with arthritis.
- Aquatic therapy — Aquatic therapy can be an ideal treatment for arthritis. Aquatic therapy harnesses the buoyancy of water to help reduce the amount of stress on joints during exercises. It can help promote mobility and flexibility while also providing a pain relief experience.
Benefits of seeking physical therapy to help with arthritis
Physical therapy can play a pivotal role in helping to manage arthritis. It can offer a range of benefits, including:
- Pain management — Physical therapists use various techniques to help alleviate arthritis pain. The goal is to help reduce your pain and improve your ability to engage in your daily activities.
- Improved joint function — Arthritis can significantly affect your joint function and mobility. Physical therapy can help restore and improve your joint function through targeted exercises and stretching routines. This can help you improve your range of motion to perform daily tasks more comfortably.
- Muscle strengthening — Arthritis can also affect your muscle tone. Physical therapy can help you build better muscle support around affected joints. This can provide you with better stability and reduced stress on your joints.
Goals of physical therapy to help with arthritis
The goals of physical therapy will vary because each treatment is tailored to your individual needs, the severity of your condition and specific joint involvement. Common goals of physical therapy may be:
- Pain reduction — The main goal of physical therapy for helping arthritis is to help alleviate pain. Physical therapists use a number of modalities, exercises and manual techniques intended to help reduce your pain levels.
- Joint function and mobility improvement — Physical therapy can help improve your joint function and mobility using targeted exercises and stretches.
- Muscle strengthening and endurance — It’s crucial to strengthen the muscles surrounding arthritis-affected joints to provide them with better support. Physical therapy can help you build muscle strength and endurance.
- Flexibility improvement — Arthritis can limit your range of motion, and flexibility exercises can help improve it. A stretching routine can help you maintain or improve your joint flexibility, which can help you complete day-to-day activities.
- Healthy lifestyle habits — Physical therapists can discuss lifestyle modifications that can further help manage arthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight, doing regular physical activity, and adopting joint-friendly movement patterns can help limit the progression of arthritis and help manage it.
Physical therapy at Border Therapy Services can help you on your arthritis journey
Take your first steps to reclaim your quality of life from the impacts of arthritis with Border Therapy Services. Our expert team of skilled physical therapists will provide you with personalized and compassionate care. We aim not only to alleviate your discomfort but also to help empower you to experience improved joint health. We understand the unique challenges arthritis can present, and we are here to help support you every step of the way. Through evidence-based treatments, we can help guide you to a more comfortable and active life managing your arthritis condition. Call us or request an appointment today to begin your journey to arthritis pain relief.