Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. In fact over 65 million people in the US have osteoarthritis to some degree. Arthritis is characterized by progressive wearing away of the cartilage in a joint. This wear and tear over time leads to bone spurs, poor tissue strength, inflammation, pain, weakness of surrounding muscles and poor joint movement.
Symptoms of arthritis:
- Pain with activities
- Limited range of motion and stiffness
- Swelling and tenderness
- Poor balance and walking abilities
- Reports of on and off pain
- Loss of function with normal tasks of cleaning, dressing, lifting groceries, working, etc.
What Can Be Done to Help Arthritis Pain?
A lot can be done to help arthritis pain and one of the main things to focus on is preventing the flareup from occurring in the first place. This begins with knowing a few key concepts that can lead you to a healthier and happier life by dealing with your osteoarthritis:
- Protect your joints. For example, don’t lift heavy objects in one hand
- Make sure you stretch often to keep proper joint motion
- Do strengthening exercises to add muscle support to the affected joint
- Drink plenty of water to hydrate your tissues
- Avoid inflammatory foods such as fried foods, sugary foods, soda, enriched processed foods, etc.
- Seek help before you start popping pain pills, our physical therapists can show you how to reduce your pain
Physical therapy is one of the ideal treatments for helping people with arthritis pain. Not only do we help to maximize your joint movement, but we improve your strength and show you what to do to maintain your joint health. For questions on how we can help you with your arthritis pain, contact us today!
