Arthritis is a chronic condition that affects millions of people across the world every year. It causes pain in the joints by wearing down or inflaming the cartilage between the bones.
Most people with arthritis are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. However, there are more than 100 types of the disease that can affect people in slightly different ways. Our physical therapists in El Paso, Texas, can help you learn more about arthritis, and they can also help you find effective treatment for your arthritis.
Some things you should know before you begin arthritis treatment
Those at highest risk for arthritis include seniors and people who are overweight. However, arthritis can affect all kinds of people for a number of reasons, so it’s important to be aware of its symptoms to know when you need to get help.
Some common symptoms of arthritis include:
- Severe pain in the joints
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Redness around the joints
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
Contact your health care provider if you notice any of the symptoms above. They can diagnose your joint issue and recommend treatment.
Medications are one of the main ways that many doctors help patients with arthritis. These treatments come with negative side effects, though, so people with arthritis should also consider using physical therapy as a treatment.
How a physical therapist helps treat arthritis
Unlike medication and steroids, physical therapy does not come with a bunch of negative side effects. Physical therapists develop customized treatments for each patient; your treatment will be designed to push you hard but not so hard that it will cause harm.
The goal of physical therapy for arthritis is to reduce the pain in your joints and improve your ability to use your joints. Physical therapy treatments for arthritis often include:
- Therapeutic exercises — Your physical therapist can show you specific range-of motion and strengthening exercises. These exercises are intended to reduce pain and allow your arthritic joint(s) to move more freely.
- Joint mobilization — With this technique, your physical therapist uses their hands to move the affected joint through its normal range of motion.
- Soft tissue mobilization — This therapy method involves your physical therapist using their hands to apply therapeutic pressure. The pressure is often applied to soft tissue around an arthritic joint to realign the joint.
- Aquatic therapy — This form of therapy is done while standing or sitting in a heated pool. It allows your physical therapist to have you do therapeutic exercises with natural resistance. The hydrostatic pressure of water can also help you maintain your balance better during therapy.
Border Therapy Services in El Paso offers effective arthritis treatment
Our physical therapists at Border Therapy Services in El Paso have helped patients treat all kinds of conditions, including arthritis. We offer free screenings that can help pinpoint what type of arthritis you have. We’re also adept at building individualized physical therapy plans designed to reduce arthritis pain and improve joint range of motion.
You can find our Redd Road clinic at:
836 Redd Road #B
El Paso, Texas 79912
Border Therapy Services serves patients from multiple clinics in the El Paso area. Please visit our locations page to find other clinics that may be more conveniently located for you, or you can contact us today for more information about our services or to schedule an initial appointment.