The Role of Physical Therapy in Treating Arthritis

person with joint pain in their fingers

We tend to underestimate just how much of our daily activities depend on us having healthy, painless joints. The realization of movement and mobility being entirely dependent on the joints in our bodies becomes apparent when you suffer some form of chronic joint pain, like the type caused by arthritis.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. 23% of all adult Americans suffer from some form of arthritis. This means that over 54 million people suffer from this disease and have limited mobility due to it.

Today, we’re going to discuss physical therapy and how it can be beneficial as a treatment for those suffering from arthritis.

Physical Therapy Improves Mobility

The biggest problem with arthritis is how often it gets in the way of pretty standard everyday activities. Everything from walking a few steps to grabbing on to something can be a painful experience when suffering from arthritis. This severely limits the range of joint movement.

Physical therapists work with patients to help them improve their range of mobility through exercises that enable optimal joint functionality.

Target The Source of Pain

While not true for everyone, in quote a few cases, arthritis may be caused by some external factors that may be changed. Working with a physical therapist can help people find out the exact cause behind their pain.

More importantly, they can find out if an external trigger is causing arthritis, and how it can be dealt with to either mitigate or reduce the pain.

If the pain is indeed caused by environmental factors, then the physical therapist can help you make adjustments to your lifestyle while treating arthritis.

Strengthen Muscles to Support Joints

Normally when a person suffers from a disease that affects their joints or makes movement difficult, they will require the rest of their body to provide more support to those weak joints.

Physical therapy can help individuals build muscle mass and strength so that they can support the weak joints in their bodies.

Weakness in the muscles just makes it harder for people suffering from arthritis to function. Where your joints might be lacking, your muscles can pick up the slack and help you keep moving.

Optimal Pain Relief Techniques

While a lot of physical therapy will focus on bringing back movement and improving a person’s ability to do things for themselves without requiring an extra pair of hands to help them out, it can also help manage the pain caused by arthritis.

Physical therapists know the different treatments and therapies that can be used to alleviate pain in the body. A physical therapist will be able to get rid of swellings and pain through specialized treatment.

Receiving proper physical therapy can help individuals suffering from arthritis manage their pain better and improve their range of function. Through our in-home caregiver services at Embassy Healthcare System Inc, you can get home health care services for yourself or a loved one suffering from arthritis. Contact us to learn more about our attendant care providers in Stafford TX.