Does Physical Therapy Help With Arthritis?

Arthritis can be debilitating if you don’t take the proper care once you are diagnosed. Physical therapy is an excellent treatment option to slow the progression of the disease and help relieve your pain. If you have had arthritis in your knees, shoulders, or other joints, read on to learn how physical therapy can help you.

Range of Motion

Arthritis makes your joints stiff, and it can be challenging to move around. Arthritis can limit your quality of life and make it difficult to perform routine tasks. Physical therapy sessions are excellent for increasing your joint’s range of motion. Everyday responsibilities like walking and getting out of chairs will become less painful. It also becomes easier to complete your physical therapy sessions when you have a better range of motion. Even a tiny improvement can make a drastic improvement to your recovery. 

Better Balance

There is arthritis help in several areas from physical therapy, including improved balance. Regular sessions can help strengthen your muscles. Physical therapy will improve daily functions to promote better balance and reduce the risk of slips and falls. 

Improved Posture

Posture has a dramatic effect on reducing stress on your joints. Physical therapy sessions can educate you on the importance of posture when sitting, standing, and walking. In addition, you’ll be given suggestions to modify your work and home environment. These might include the use of ergonomic furniture or behavior modifications such as stretches and exercises.

Muscle Support

As arthritis progresses, it can cause the protective cartilage to wear. It causes a lot of pain from the friction between the bones. Physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles supporting the joints and decrease pain. Physical therapists are trained to improve functionality and create more stability and strength in the joints. 

Assisting Devices

Physical therapists can recommend many different devices to help support your arthritis. Items include shoe support, walkers, canes, and crutches to take the pressure off your joints. You will also need help on how to use these items, and a physical therapist can help you. 

Consistency is important when doing physical therapy. Sessions are generally one to three times per week for several weeks. Skipping treatment or not following instructions for home care can hinder the progress of your therapy. However, you should consider the benefits of physical therapy if you are suffering from chronic pain from arthritis. 

Categorised in: Physical Therapy

This post was written by admin