Limited by Your Pain? Physical Therapy Can Help You Find Relief
Arthritis can be managed with the help of our Gahanna, New Albany, Newark, Granville, Canal Winchester, Johnstown, Lancaster, OH, or the greater Columbus, OH physical therapists. If you ever wake up with stiff joints that make it difficult to get moving in the morning, becoming less painful as the day goes on, you may be experiencing early-onset arthritis. This is a common condition that many people develop; however, many live with their painful joints for far too long before seeking help.
At Cornerstone Physical Therapy, we will evaluate which joints are stiff and painful, and assess which exercises will be beneficial in providing pain relief during everyday activities. Additionally, we will provide you with the resources you need to prevent arthritis-related injuries in the future. One of our licensed physical therapists will provide you with gentle exercises to help improve your range of motion, flexibility, and overall function in the affected joint(s).
If you are suffering from pain and you think you may be experiencing arthritic symptoms, contact Cornerstone Physical Therapy today to schedule a consultation.
What are the types of arthritis?
According to the Arthritis Foundation, the disease affects over 50 million people and it is currently the leading cause of disability across the nation. It causes pain and inflammation, and it can affect one or multiple joints at once.
Osteoarthritis
The most common form is osteoarthritis. This is caused when the cartilage of the joint wears down, either due to age or overuse. This causes pain in the joint, as the cartilage is no longer acting as the thick cushion that it once was. Without a cushion, the bones grind together, which in turn causes an inflammatory response in the joint.
As the most commonly experienced form the disease, osteoarthritis is typically easy to diagnose. It can be caused by a sudden injury to the joint, or it can develop after a previous injury has fully healed. For example, let’s say you were a football player in college who experienced a harsh blow to the knee. You seek treatment, recover, and return to the game. Although the injury healed, damage occurred to the cartilage or surrounding muscles, decreasing support to the joint, or changing the motion of the joint slightly. Therefore, it is still possible for you to develop osteoarthritis from that injury later in life.
The same is true for overuse or repetitive motion careers. For example, if you are a carpenter who swings a hammer in repetitive motions as a crucial part of your job, you may develop osteoarthritis in the joints of your elbows or hands. Being overweight may also put you at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis, as additional strain is being put on your knee and hip joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, aka “inflammatory arthritis,” is also fairly common, although it is not as easily understood. It develops as an autoimmune response, meaning that the immune system sees the joints as a threat and decides to attack them. Researchers have come to believe that your medical history, environment, and hormones could all be contributing factors toward the development this disease. Also, it is typically more prevalent in females than in males. Because it is an autoimmune condition, it is common for it to affect the same joints on different sides of the body.
Those suffering from this disease typically report soreness around joints, which is worse after prolonged sitting, standing, or inactivity. Pain can get worse when you move, like when you bend your knees. You may notice popping or clicking sounds in the affected joint(s) with movement, and the joint may be sensitive or painful to the touch. It can also cause pain when you exercise or work, and the pain may go away after you stop doing that activity.
Don’t suffer from any longer!
Physical therapy helps by restoring the normal motion of your joints, improving the strength of supporting muscles, and improving the way you walk, run, bend, and move. Our treatments are tailored to your specific needs to help you recover quickly and have a more permanent outcome. We also teach you ways to prevent future joint injury, and what you can do on your own with the correct therapeutic exercises.
If you are suffering from pain, or you think you might be, you could greatly benefit from physical therapy treatments at Cornerstone Physical Therapy. In many cases, physical therapy treatments can even help you avoid the need for surgery, medications, and injections.
Contact Cornerstone Physical Therapy today to find out how our services can help you find long-lasting pain relief. One of our physical therapists will conduct a physical evaluation to determine what the best course of treatment will be for you. Don’t let your pain limit you any longer – schedule your consultation today.
FAQs
What are the symptoms for arthritis pain?
Do your joints feel stiff, achy, or painful, especially when you wake up in the morning? If so, you may be experiencing the effects of arthritis. This is one of the most common symptoms of arthritis, but it is common to also expereince accompanying symptoms. Other sensations you may experience with arthritis include pain in the affected region, which may spread to surrounding body parts; persistent stiffness; inflammation; muscle spasms, joint creaking, clicking, or popping sounds; increased pain with certain activities, such as work or exercise; decreased range of motion in the affected area, abnormalities in gait, such as limping; swelling; weakness; and a warm sensation in the affected joint.
What are the best physical therapy treatments for arthritis pain?
Regardless of the cause of arthritis, physical therapy plays a major role in the treatment of its symptoms. Your physical therapist will conduct a physical evaluation to analyze your joint movement, muscle strength, and overall function, in order to pinpoint the exact areas that are causing you pain. You will then be prescribed a personalized treatment plan, focused around your specific needs. Treatment plans will include targeted stretches and exercises aimed at relieving your pain and improving your function, in addition to any specialized methods your physical therapist deems fit. This may include manual therapy, ice and heat therapies, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound. Your physical therapist may also include additional services as needed, such as weight management techniques to help ease some stress on your joints, and/or posture improvement to relieve stiffness and prevent injury.
Can arthritis affect different body parts?
There are over 100 different types of arthritis, containing monoarthritis (where only one joint is affected) and oligoarthritis (where multiple joints are affected). According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 54.4 million U.S. adults are diagnosed with some form of arthritis per year. As we age, the cartilage in our joints wears down, causing painful bone-on-bone rubbing, inflammation, stiffness, and pain. While it is possible for arthritis to develop in any of the joints, the fingers, elbows, shoulders, lower back, hips, and knees are among the most common.
Can arthritis be cured?
While there is no cure for arthritis yet, it is possible to alleviate arthritic symptoms by improving your joint movement, muscle strength, balance, and coordination through physical therapy treatments. In some cases, physical therapy can even make it possible to eliminate symptoms entirely. For best results, it is in your best interest to consult with a physical therapist as soon as you begin noticing arthritic symptoms. The sooner they get treated, the easier they are to manage. Whatever type of arthritis you may be suffering from, physical therapy undoubtedly plays an important role in pain relief. In addition, it can also help you avoid the need for harmful pain-management drugs or invasive surgical correction.