Arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis are all very painful disorders of the body that cause joint swelling, joint pain, and joint stiffness. What is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? Osteoarthritis is when joint cartilage wears out and bones of a joint start to rub together, while RA is an autoimmune complication that causes the lining of the joints to swell up.

What Causes Arthritis?

• Age
• Overuse- from work, play, sports...
• Inflammation, that causes redness and swelling in joints.
• Previous Injury- existing damage to joints and loss of function from use.
• Muscle strain from painful movements.
• Fatigue
• Obesity
• Degenerative conditions

Why Is Arthritis So Painful?

To be clear, any form of arthritis is extremely uncomfortable and tremendously painful. As affected joints begin to swell up, they become tender, swollen, and very painful leading to loss of range of motion and flexibility. If left unchecked, arthritic joints will eventually experience severe damage and potentially surgery.

Common Arthritis Hotspots-

• Hands
• Wrists
• Knees
• Ankles
• Hips
• Lower back
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Neck
• Hands

How Physical Therapy for Arthritis Works?

Stretching and Special Exercise: Included with all arthritis physical therapy treatment plans is specialized stretches and exercises tailored to each individuals unique condition. Incorporating these special stretches and exercises into your daily routine will help to slow the progression of arthritis, related swelling and pain, increase strength n supporting muscles and tendons, and improve range of motion.

Strength Training: Most people who suffer with arthritis or RA all tend to have the same issue around arthritic areas- lack of range of motion and poor strength in supporting muscles and tendons. With the poor support and weakness, daily tasks and activities such as walking, jogging, riding a bike, bending over to pick something up, walking up stairs, daily chores, etc. will all start to become a little more difficult and painful to do. Over a period of time, the arthritic joint(s) and supporting muscles and tendons can become more unstable, even weaker, and more susceptible to injury without proper arthritis treatments. Our physical therapists will prescribe a personalized arthritis treatment plan, outlining special stretches and exercises that a patient can do every day to slow the progression of the arthritis.

Range of Motion: When someone has arthritis, they tend to lose a little bit of flexibility simply due to the fact that the more they use the arthritic joint, the more pain is caused. With arthritis, joint spaces narrow leading to bone rubbing against bone, causing extreme discomfort and pain. What makes arthritis even worse is that even at rest, your muscles and tendons tighten up, especially if a joint is not used as much due to the arthritis and pain. Our physical therapists can assist by first assessing a patient's ROM and formulating a specialized arthritis PT treatment plan with specific stretches and exercises that will help with alleviating joint compression, increase joint mobility, along with strengthening the affected area.

Pain Management: People living with arthritis typically have to tolerate arthritis related aches and pain everyday, leading to a loss of quality of life. Our physical therapists can help by using different manual therapy techniques and other modalities, along with specialized stretches, massages, and exercises to help reduce pain associated with arthritis.

How Can Physical Therapy Help My Arthritis?

• Stabilizing and strengthening muscles
• Promote better range of motion
• Allows for mobilization of any stiff muscles and tendons
• Improvement of joint alignment and posture
• Enhances neuromuscular control
• Assists in relieving pain
• Greater muscle strength

If you decide to work with an arthritis physical therapist to help correct your arthritis issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20 different arthritis PT treatment sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized arthritis physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your arthritis PT sessions, yet in the comfort of your own home. Arthritis physical therapy can be beneficial for children as well as adults. Anyone who is suffering from the pain and irritation that is often associated with arthritis may benefit from arthritis physical therapy.

Common Arthritis Treatments-

• PT
• OT
• Massage
• Hot and Cold packs
• Bracing
• TENS Therapy
• Diathermy

Arthritis physical therapy is an excellent nonsurgical treatment for arthritis and RA. However, depending on the severity of your case, bracing or surgery may be recommended. With bracing, you will wear a brace to provide problematic areas additional support to prevent any additional injury and in some cases, even some pain relief. If you have a severe case of arthritis then your doctor may prescribe medicine, consistent arthritis physical therapy treatment sessions, bracing, and/or surgery.

Chronic Pain: If you or your child has chronic arthritis pain they may benefit from physical therapy for arthritis, related stretches and exercises, and manual therapy.

With arthritis physical therapy the main goal is to slow the progression of the arthritis itself, to strengthen surrounding muscles and tendons, and to prevent future injury. If you or someone you care about is suffering from arthritis pain, then arthritis physical therapy may be a good choice. To learn more about this form of treatment for arthritis and RA, or to schedule a consultation, feel free to reach out to my team and I today.