Continue
If you’ve been experiencing arthritis pain in your knee, hip, shoulder, or other joint, you probably want to know how to relieve your joint pain and slow down the disease’s progression. Physical therapy (PT) is actually a promising treatment option for arthritis. It helps get your joints moving in a safe and effective way and is the closest thing there is to a miracle drug for your arthritis.
How can physical therapy help treat arthritis?
PT for arthritis helps ease the symptoms and enhance your movement quality, and this, in turn, makes it easier for you to perform everyday movements. A skilled physical therapist will employ a variety of techniques, including targeted exercises and stretches, manual therapy, and more. They can help you maintain your health by working with you to come up with a program that you can use out of their office, giving you the tools to manage arthritis flare-ups and improve your daily quality of life.
The end and ultimate goal of physical therapy for arthritis management is to have you progressively acquire strength so you can move more and move better. Your physical therapist can help you achieve this goal by creating a treatment plan based on your unique situation and goals. The treatment plan may include medications, supplements, and other topical treatments. Your therapist will also evaluate your posture, muscle imbalances, and body mechanics. Through the treatment plan, you will learn how to improve the way you move to prevent injury, reduce pain, and align your body. It will include a variety of exercises that are meant to strengthen the muscles around the joint areas, which can improve function and reduce joint stress.
Holistic Approach to Care
Every treatment is designed to help alleviate discomfort, preserve joint function, and reduce disability to the extent possible. With this in mind, Dr. Patel takes an integrative and holistic approach to care; prescribing medication, exercise, and physical therapy to suit a patient’s needs. She may also recommend yoga and tai chi, or integrative therapy such as ozone prolotherapy to alleviate symptoms and restore healthy tissue. As an experienced physician, Dr. Chaula Patel provides care to help patients manage arthritis, preserve joint function, and provide relief from the associated symptoms.
By Chaula Patel, MD
July 28, 2022
