How can physical therapy help reduce my arthritis pain?

physical-therapy

Taking your dog for a walk. Driving to your grandchildren’s house. Doing chores around the house. All these activities are connected because they’re all times when your arthritis pain could increase. 

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of pain in the U.S.; medical researchers report that about 67 million Americans will have been diagnosed with arthritis by 2025. Physical therapy is a treatment option that can be very beneficial for people with arthritis. Here are four physical therapy techniques that can help people reduce arthritis pain: 

  1. Manual therapy

Manual therapy can help ease the aches of sore muscles and throbbing joints. One medical study shows that four weeks of using a physical therapy plan that included manual therapy helped reduce knee osteoarthritis pain scores by 52%. There are even more benefits for arthritis sufferers: This category of therapy can increase blood circulation where you need it most, which reduces arthritis pain and promotes healing.

  1. Gait analysis

The way your body moves when you walk is known as gait. Problems with your gait can be putting more pressure on your arthritic joints, which can increase your pain. A therapy specialist can perform a gait analysis to identify gait issues, and they can then develop a plan to address these issues. In turn, you may be able to walk better, and you can also experience less arthritis pain.

  1. Ergonomics training

Your therapy specialist can identify body positions and non-ergonomic work setups that contribute to arthritis pain. They can then create an ergonomics training program that can reduce your arthritis pain. This program can help you learn how to do many normal daily tasks with less pain, including: 

  • Going up and down stairs
  • Emptying the dishwasher
  • Holding your grandchildren
  1. Therapeutic exercises

What you may think of as “traditional” physical therapy can also do a world of good for arthritis pain. Gentle exercises, which you can also do at home, help you limber up your stiffened joints and muscles. They also strengthen surrounding muscles for better support and increase your range of motion. All are designed to help arthritic patients move more freely and with less pain.

SSOR is ready to help reduce your arthritis pain

Want to find an experienced physical therapy team that can help reduce your arthritis pain? You’ll find one at SSOR. Our physical therapists offer complimentary screenings that can pinpoint the type of arthritis you have and minor issues that are making it harder to deal with. Additionally, our specialists excel at building individualized physical therapy plans designed to decrease pain and improve your mobility. 

Can’t make it into one of our clinics for an in-person appointment? Don’t worry! Thanks to our virtual therapy and at-home care appointments, you can get the therapy you need right from your home. You can even start getting our help if you don’t have a doctor’s referral. 

Contact us today for more information about our arthritis treatment options or to schedule your initial appointment.