This document provides an overview of physical therapy treatment for arthritis. It discusses what arthritis is, common symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness, and how arthritis is diagnosed. It then explains how physical therapy can help treat arthritis through approaches like pain reduction, restoring joint motion, and addressing biomechanical impairments. The goal of physical therapy is to help patients get back to their normal activities.

1. PHYSICAL THERAPY TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS
Did you know that there are over 100
types of arthritis and related conditions?
In fact, the Arthritis Foundation lists
arthritis as the leading cause of disability
among Americans. People of all ages
may be affected by this condition to
varying degrees, even children, and while
its effects may be merely an annoyance
to some, to others it can interfere greatly
with everyday tasks. As arthritis
progresses simple things like getting out
of bed, opening a tight jar, or going up
stairs can become more difficult.
So what is arthritis? The term arthritis is
an umbrella term for conditions involving
inflammation and pain in the joints.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type
of arthritis. It causes degeneration of
cartilage lining the joint and most often affects weight bearing joints such as the hips
and knees. This type of arthritis is often associated with “wear and tear” as a person
ages. Other types of arthritis with different underlying causes exist as well. Arthritic
conditions can typically be classified as degenerative, inflammatory, infectious or
metabolic. Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus and gout are
examples of other types of arthritis
WH AT ARE TH E S YMPTOMS OF ARTH RITIS ?
Joint pain, swelling, stiffness and decreased range of motion are common symptoms
of arthritis. In mild osteoarthritis joint pain and swelling typically occur in response to
activity and improve with rest. As joint surfaces degenerate further pain, stiffness, and
inflammation may persist even at rest and be worse, for instance, when first getting up
in the morning or after sitting for a long time.
Inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an autoimmune
response leading to inflammation in the joints. Similar to osteoarthritis, swelling, joint
pain, and stiffness are common. Inflammatory conditions, however, can also affect
other connective tissues such as lungs, heart, eyes and other organs. Heat and
tenderness to touch around the joint line is also very common. The small joints of the
hands and feet are often involved and in many cases multiple joints throughout the
body are affected. Because this type of arthritis is caused by an overactive immune
response, a specialist such as a Rheumatologist will often be involved in treating and
managing the underlying condition.
H OW IS ARTH RITIS DIAGN OS ED?
If your physical therapist suspects arthritis, they will interview you on what symptoms
you are experiencing, what aggravates and eases your symptoms and where they are
located. They will gently move your joints to assess their mobility, palpate (feel) the
joints and surrounding tissue for any inflammation, heat or tenderness, and assess your
movement during functional activities such as standing, walking or squatting. They may
also perform specific tests to the joints themselves to rule out other conditions
involving the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
MARCH 14, 2022
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In some cases your physical therapist or physician may recommend imaging such as an
X-ray, CT scan or MRI to evaluate the joint surfaces for any cartilage breakdown, signs
of inflammation or deformities. As arthritis progresses the congruency of the joint
surfaces decreases which can further exacerbate pain and result in a need to change
the way you stand, walk or move. If you, yourself have arthritis, you are probably
familiar with the creative ways people often adapt to arthritis pain.
H OW CAN A PH YS ICAL TH ERAPIS T TREAT MY ARTH RITIS ?
While physical therapy cannot reverse the effects of arthritis on joint tissues, research
shows that physical therapy is an effective tool to reduce pain and improve function.
When physical activity worsens pain, it is common for persons with arthritis to begin
self-limiting activity. First you may cut back on how many miles you run then you move
into a single story house to avoid the stairs. Soon you find yourself walking with a cane
or walker and saying no to invitations to attend baseball games and trips to the mall.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, less motion is often not the answer to arthritis
pain. This is where a physical therapist can help. After interviewing and examining you,
your PT at Evolve will work with you to understand your goals and develop a plan to
help you get there.
Pain Reduction: Joint pain may be mild, moderate or severe but physical therapy can
help to address your pain symptoms. Modalities such as heat, ice or electrical
stimulation may be prescribed by your PT to reduce inflammation and provide pain
relief. They may also apply gentle hands-on techniques such as passive range of
motion, soft tissue or joint mobilization, myofascial release techniques, or taping to
improve the mobility and health of the joint and soft tissues that are affected.
Restore Joint Motion: Joint stiffness and loss of range of motion are common with
arthritis. Restoring normal joint motion is an important step in getting you back to your
favorite activities. If mobility is restricted in the connective tissue structures around the
joint itself, joint mobilization techniques may be utilized to improve that motion. Active
range of motion might be prescribed initially to reintroduce motion to the joint and later
on stretching may be prescribed to help lengthen chronically shortened tissues.
Address Biomechanical Impairments: While the surfaces of the joint may no longer be
pristine, how the joint moves and how much stress is applied across an arthritic joint
can play a large role in how much pain you experience and how much you have to limit
your activities. Proper strength and flexibility in the muscles surrounding the joint can
optimize the movement of the joint and may reduce some of the rubbing that occurs
between uneven joint surfaces. Your physical therapist will test your muscles to
identify areas that need work and can guide you through a progressive program of
exercises to address these issues.
As muscles get stronger and tissues regain their proper length and flexibility, learning
to activate muscles at the right time and in the right order during a specific activity is
essential. For example, proper firing of foot, ankle, and hip musculature is essential for
good biomechanics with running and stair climbing. Even if your muscles are strong,
the motor control of these muscles may not be adequate to properly perform a
movement without putting excessive stress across a certain joint. As you learn to
control and fire your muscles while performing a motion such as hitting a tennis ball,
you will likely experience less pain in your shoulder joint.
G ETTIN G B ACK TO ACTIVITIES
The ultimate goal of a physical therapy program is to help you get back to the activities
you love and need to do throughout your life. At Evolve, your PT will help you get back
to activities in the safest, most effective and quickest way possible. They will always
strive to help get you back to these activities but in cases where that is not possible
without some modification, your PT is there to help advise you on adaptations you can
make to help control your symptoms.
While arthritis pain may have been in the driver’s seat for some time, there is
something you can do about it. Schedule an evaluation with a physical therapist at
Evolve to learn more about your condition and begin taking steps to regain control over
your arthritis pain.
Click here for more information about physical therapy for arthritis
AB OU T EVOLVEN Y-
Brooklyn’s Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
There’s physical therapy, there’s training,
and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the
science of biomechanics merged with
fitness to help our patients get better and
stay better! First we evaluate, then we
heal, then we strengthen our clients so
they can reach their goals, feel better,
and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized
treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with
the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
Multiple Locations!
1-718-395-6551
https://EvolveNY.com
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