Arthritis causes pain and stiffness that limits your mobility and affects your grip strength. In other words, it makes your daily life much more challenging. While there is no cure for arthritis, there are treatments that help manage the pain and reduce the stiffness.

Treatments for arthritis vary depending on its severity and other factors, like your age, weight and medical history. One treatment for arthritis that is beneficial for most people is physical therapy.

1. Physical therapy treats pain at the source

Part of a physical therapist’s skill set is being able to identify the source of your pain. They can perform an examination of your condition to identify how your arthritis is affecting your joints. Once they have identified how arthritis is affecting you, they can develop a personalized treatment routine to help you manage the pain and improve your range of motion.

Physical therapy treatments can include a range of methods, including:

• Gentles stretches and exercises
• Joint mobilization
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Posture guidance
• Diet recommendations
• Recommendations for how to perform job duties or move around safely

2. Physical therapy can reduce your dependency on medication

Many people with arthritis rely on pain medications and corticosteroids for help. While medication can sometimes be absolutely necessary, in many cases, physical therapy can help reduce your dependency on medication.

Reducing your dependency on medication is beneficial because medication can cause undesired side effects, including:

• Drowsiness
• High blood pressure
• Mood swings

Additionally, some pain medications can be addictive. Physical therapy can help manage your pain so you don’t need to risk becoming addicted to something.

3. Physical therapy can lower your chances of needing surgery

If arthritis gets bad enough, surgery might be required to replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. These procedures are painful and expensive and involve a lot of risk. Physical therapy can help you slow the progression of arthritis, lowering your chances of needing surgery to address the disease.

Visit Rehab Access for arthritis treatment

Arthritis can cause you to miss out on much of what you love about life. At Rehab Access, we want to help you take as much as you can back. Our team can work closely with you to develop a personalized treatment routine to help you manage your pain and improve your range of motion. Contact our team today for more information about treating arthritis or to schedule an initial appointment.