Address Arthritis Earlier with Physical Therapy

Physical therapy might not be the first treatment you think of for arthritis, but it probably should be! Many people with arthritis choose to use medication to manage their pain, stop activities that hurt, or wait for things to get uncomfortable enough that they end up sitting in the orthopedic surgeon’s office. While these actions can help with pain, they all also have undesired results. All medications have side effects, even over the counter ones. Reducing activity leads to muscle weakness and stiff joints. Joint replacement surgery usually has good outcomes, but it does come with its own set of risks and months of recovery.

If that doesn't sound like the plan you want to follow, physical therapy might be for you. Research has shown that PT leads to good outcomes for patients with arthritis including reduced pain, better mobility, and delaying or preventing surgery. Physical therapists typically start with exercise as the base for arthritis treatment. Exercise helps to regain lost motion, decrease feelings of stiffness, and strengthen muscles surrounding the painful joint.

These benefits may seem somewhat obvious, but what surprises many people is that exercise has been shown to be as effective as medication for pain relief in many types of arthritis, without the side effects. Education is usually combined with exercise to help people understand their condition, what to expect, and how to manage it. As experts in human movement, physical therapists can also teach you ways to modify how you perform certain tasks or activities to reduce the strain on joints.

In addition to modifying how you move, a PT can also suggest ways to modify the environment at work or home to reduce pain and improve function. This might include things like using a monitor stand to improve your posture at your desk, or buying pre-cut vegetables to reduce your work in the kitchen. They may also suggest things like braces, orthotics, or other devices that can help maintain mobility and reduce pain. In addition to all of that, PT has also been proven to be a cost effective treatment.

With so many techniques that are proven effective in helping people with arthritis, physical therapy is a recommended first line treatment for many types of arthritis. The earlier you begin to address your problems, the faster success you will likely have. Now that you have a better understanding of what PT can do, hopefully you'll think of PT first when you think of arthritis too.