3 Excellent Therapies If You Suffer From Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that causes one or more joints to deteriorate. This causes pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Osteoarthritis has no cure, but many treatments are available to manage the pain and symptoms. If you are tired of living with osteoarthritis pain, check out these three therapies that can really help.

Aquatic Therapy

Exercise is incredibly important for managing osteoarthritis. In particular, you want to strengthen the muscles near the affected joint(s). Aquatic therapy involves various exercises and stretches that are performed in a pool. Thanks to the water that helps support you, these exercises are low impact, which is incredibly important if you suffer from osteoarthritis.

High-impact exercise like running put a lot of weight on your joints, which is great for building strong bones, but it can worsen your joint pain or even cause more wear and tear to the joint.

Another benefit to aquatic therapy is the heat. Most pools used for therapy are heated to about 82 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat alone can help ease muscles and joints, reducing inflammation, lessening swelling and pain, and making it easier to perform the exercises and stretches.

Finally, aquatic therapy is also great for resistance training because the water is more resistant than air. In other words, you have to work harder to perform the exercises, but thanks to the buoyance of the water, you don't get exhausted.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can help osteoarthritis in several ways. First, it helps promote better circulation, which can heal damaged tissue and reduce pain. Good circulation also helps the muscles around the joint, which helps reduce pain by improving flexibility. Better flexibility helps take stress off the affected joint.

Massage therapy also helps reduce stress and anxiety. Any condition that negatively affects your mental well-being can actually decrease your pain threshold, making it seem like your arthritis has worsened.

Finally, massage therapy is great for osteoarthritis because it eases muscles. A lot of osteoarthritis pain is caused by tight muscles. The weak/sore joint causes the muscles to work harder. In turn, the sore muscles put more stress on the affected joint. A good massage eases those muscles, which can reduce pain and help make it easier for you to strengthen those muscles.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy involves helping you relearn or learn new ways to perform everyday tasks, such as writing or putting on your socks and shoes. Painful joints can make everyday tasks painful or impossible. If you suffer from osteoarthritis, occupational therapy can help teach you better ways to live your life without pain.

For example, if writing is hard because arthritis in your hands makes it painful to hold a small pen, your occupational therapist may help by introducing you to alternatives, such as a thick pen or a different way to hold the pen. Ultimately, your occupational therapist is there to educate you about your condition and provide new methods and activity modifications that will reduce pain and discomfort.

Your occupational therapist will also help you with joint protection techniques. One of the best joint protection techniques is learning proper body position and good posture for various activities so you don’t put unnecessary stress on the affected joint. It's also a good idea to make sure you rest frequently and manage your weight to avoid extra weight on joints.

Osteoarthritis can be incredibly painful, and it may even make it difficult or impossible for you to do the activities you used to enjoy. While there is no cure, many treatments and therapies can help manage and reduce pain. If you would like to learn more, contact us at Advanced Physical Therapy today.