Decrease Your Joint Pain and Increase Your Mobility With Physical Therapy

Do you ever wake up with achy joints? The joint pain may be related to an injury or normal age-related wear changes. Whatever the cause of the pain, it's uncomfortable and makes getting around and participating in life difficult.  

Some may take painkilling drugs or choose a sedentary life to compensate for aches and pains. Unfortunately, these options can come with adverse side effects. We have another suggestion, physical therapy. Physical therapy is not just exercise and can help you regain your life and limit joint aches and pains. 

Before we address the benefits of physical therapy, let us discuss joint pain and get a better understanding of it. Your beliefs and perceptions of pain can significantly influence how much pain you experience. 

Joint pain can be discomfort, pain, or inflammation arising from any part of the joint (cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, or muscles). Joint pain can be mild or severe. Joint pain and stiffness may develop for several reasons. Some of the most common include:

• Osteoarthritis - the most common cause of joint pain. Some refer to osteoarthritis as degenerative joint disease or wear and tear arthritis. It often occurs in the hands, hips, spine, and knees. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down. 
• Rheumatoid arthritis - is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints. It is a painful joint condition when your immune system mistakenly attacks your body's tissues. 
• Sprain or strain - when your muscles, tendons, or ligaments have been damaged it can result in painful immobilizing inflammation. 
• Injury to the soft tissue part of the joint - this often develops slowly over time, for example, tendonitis. This type of injury is caused by repetitive stress or overstress to certain joints. 

How can physical therapy help with joint pain? Numerous studies have documented the benefits of physical therapy, not just exercise, for joint pain. A 2019 study assessed the efficacy of nondrug arthritis treatments. The study found that exercise and physical therapy reduced rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and eased the pain (2019 study). A 2018 ScienceDirect paper agreed with these findings (2018 paper). Physical therapy can address your symptoms, decrease pain, and restore your range of motion. Physical therapy can even delay or help you avoid surgery. 

Physical therapy for joint pain will include:

• Stretches that are designed to help heal injured muscles and connective tissues. The goal of stretches is to increase your range of motion and limit stiffness. 
• Exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. Strengthening the muscles around the joints alleviates direct pressure on the joint during movement. Stronger muscles will naturally support nearby joints.
• Joint mobilization techniques can improve your range of motion and increase function. Certain techniques can help the synovial fluid, which provides nutrients to your cartilage.

The benefits of physical therapy for joint pain are strengthening muscles, improving joint mobility, and reducing pain. You don't have to live with joint pain. You can drastically improve your life. Contact our office today! 

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