Are you all too familiar with swollen and painful fingers, or achy and stiff joints?
You may be suffering from arthritis.
Did you know 1 in 7 Australians are affected by arthritis? That’s nearly 4 million people!
Arthritis is a very common condition that causes pain, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints.
Arthritis might be making it difficult for you to perform everyday tasks like walking, opening a jar, or getting out of your car. You may feel like your arthritis is limiting your quality of life.
But don’t worry, there’s good news. While arthritis can’t be cured, it can be effectively managed and physiotherapy may help.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is one of more than 100 conditions that cause damage to your joints, triggering inflammation, pain, and stiffness. The severity of arthritis can vary from mild to severe and it can impact almost any joint in your body.
There are many different types of arthritis, the 3 most common are:
- Osteoarthritis – affects the whole joint, including your bone, cartilage, muscle, and ligaments.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – an auto-immune disease where your immune system targets the lining of your joints and causes inflammation and damage.
- Gout – when small uric acid (one of your body’s waste products) crystals form in and around your joint, causing swelling and pain.
Common Symptoms
Because there are many different types of arthritis and many different joints that may be affected, arthritis can affect people in different ways.
The most common symptoms include:
- Pain, whether it be constant, chronic, aching, or more acute.
- Stiffness or feeling like your joint is not moving freely.
- Redness and warmth in and around your joints.
- Swelling and inflammation in your joints.
- Reduced general health. Symptoms include fatigue, illness, and weight loss.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Arthritis physiotherapy aims to improve your quality of life by managing your symptoms, minimising damage to your joints, and increasing and preserving your function.
The Valens Care physios can help you to manage your arthritis, including:
- Pain Management – You may already be taking medications to help with your arthritis pain but a physiotherapist can teach you other techniques you could try as well as medication to manage your pain including:
- Ice and heat packs.
- Splinting of painful joints.
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation).
- Safe Exercise – Your physiotherapist can test your strength and mobility and help you to come up with an exercise plan tailored specifically to you, your goals, and your arthritis.
- Learning your limits – Arthritis management can be tricky. You may find overdoing things can increase the pain and swelling in your joints, but underdoing things may increase stiffness and pain. Your physio can help you manage the balance by finding your limits between activity and rest.
- Electrotherapy – Your physiotherapist may use laser or ultrasound therapy to stimulate healing.
- Massage and Manipulation – these techniques may be used to reduce pain and stiffness by relaxing your muscles and allowing your affected joint to move more freely.
The Valens Care Difference
Arthritis is a common condition we treat at Valens Care but we don’t just treat every client the same. At Valens Care, we believe our patients deserve a greater level of support than your traditional physio approach.
Our hands-on treatment is tailored specifically to you and your goals. We will continue to work with you as you progress and adapt the plan as needed.
If you receive NDIS funding, you may be able to claim physiotherapy with Valens Care through your plan.
If you, or a loved one, live with arthritis and are looking for relief, book an appointment or contact us today to see how physiotherapy can help you.
* All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Valens Care can consult with you regarding your individual health needs.
