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Arthritis and How Physical Therapy Can Help You
Arthritis is a term used to describe over 100 different types of joint disease. It is a disease that affects millions and millions of people worldwide.
All types of arthritis involve inflammation and immobility of one or more joints but nearly every case of arthritis can be treated by physical therapy.
If Arthritis Is A Disease, How Can Physical Therapy Help Me?
Physical therapy focuses on restoring movement and function to a part of the body that has been incapacitated to some degree. It applies an expert understanding of the joints and muscles in the body and examines how motion and flexibility can be improved.
Physical therapists work closely with the individual identifying and explaining the scientific reasoning behind their pain. The patient is educated on the best possible physical management of their body and how to participate in their own recovery both with and without a physical therapist by their side. Treatment commonly includes manual therapy techniques to improve joint mobility and reduce pain, specific exercises to improve the strength of the muscles that support the joint, and targeted stretching to optimize joint mechanics and minimize excessive forces through the affected joint or joints
At the core of physical therapy is the patient’s understanding and motivation. The patient must understand and be determined to be in control of their own recovery when not with a physical therapist.
What Will My First Physical Therapy Session Be Like?
A physical therapist will have a feel of the affected area to get an understanding. They will then discuss with the patient a strategy of how best to tackle the issue depending on the type of arthritis and its severity. In all cases, regular exercise of joints will be encouraged and your first appointment with a physical therapist will be about educating you on the problem and devising a routine from then on out.
Exercises That Can Help Arthritis and Which Ones Should I do?
The exercises you need to do depends, of course, on the area affected. There are a great variety of useful and beneficial techniques that physical therapists will be aware of and the treatment needed will depend largely on your condition. It is good, however, to keep all joints healthy so by no means are there certain exercises to be ignored. But there will, of course, be some which you should do regularly.
Knee and hip arthritis are the most common forms of arthritis and as mobility in these areas is essential it is important to approach these problems with careful, professional advice. Running/jogging and aerobics should be avoided with knee and hip problems unless your physical therapist says otherwise during your rehabilitation. More advised exercises would be swimming and cycling. These encourage movement in your joints without putting too much pressure or encompassing too much resistance. On top of this they get the heart rate going, which is incredibly important.
There are also a range of yoga poses that can be done at home to increase stability and strengthen surrounding muscles. In fact strengthening through weight exercises are not as ill advised as you may think. Light weight exercises as taught by your physiotherapist can really strengthen the surrounding muscles and and help mobility in your joints.
Being active is of utmost importance when you have arthritis, not just concentrating on the area which is suffering most but keeping up your physical wellbeing in general. You must make time for physical activity and concentrate on maintaining a healthy weight. Arthritis can be painful, but it is a big mistake to be afraid of physical activity and exercise. Exercising will not weaken your joints, a lack of it will. If you are in a lot of pain then it is important to start at the right level and gradually improve the function and strength of your joints.
If you would like extra tips and advice on joint pain check out one of our free books. Alternatively, if you suffer from arthritis or think you may need to talk to a qualified physical therapist call Permar Physical Therapy directly at (928) 589-1172 or email at [email protected].