Arthritis – How PhysioCare Can Help You
Information:
Arthritis (also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease) is the oft times painful ‘wear and tear’ of joint. Associated symptoms and sources of discomfort can include an overgrowth of bone (osteophytes), narrowing of the joint space, sclerosis or hardening of bone at the joint surface and deformity in joints. Arthritis is not usually associated with inflammation, although swelling of the joint does frequently occur. Other forms of arthritis (rheumatoid, post-traumatic and other inflammatory disorders) frequently may have osteoarthritis in later stages, thus making differentiation between them a difficult task.
Some Causes of Arthritis:
Arthritis is the most common joint disease regardless of race, age or geographic area. Studies show that around 300,000 Irish people are living with Arthritis. Symptoms of Arthritis are known to increase with age. Even if you are not suffering from any major or noticeable symptoms, screenings at medical examinations or from unrelated x-rays may indicate a presence of Arthritis.
Treatment Methods:
As Arthritis treatment is dependent on the age and physical condition of the patient, there is no one size fits all approach. As such, treatment is dependent on many factors including the likes of lifestyle and medical findings.Patients with mild to moderate Arthritis on weight-bearing joints (hips and knees) may benefit from a supervised exercise program such as walking and light exercise and stretching. A program of regular physical activity can strengthen the areas surrounding the affected joints (tendons, ligaments and muscle) and preserve mobility in joints that are developing bone spurs. Remaining active, maintaining an ideal body weight, and exercising muscles and joints regularly are great ways to prolong joint life. Non-impact activities such as swimming, cycling, and walking tend to be more comfortable for patients with osteoarthritis. Benefit and relief can also be derived from traditional physiotherapy treatment, manipulation and massage therapy.
What we can do for you:
While osteoarthritis is a common condition that we regularly treat at PhysioCare, we make sure to treat every patient case as an individual and unique assessment each time. Before initial treatment we will discuss what you can and cannot do and establish realistic goals as to what you would like to derive from your treatment with us to help you get and feel better. If you find you cannot make it into the clinic, our Chartered Physiotherapists can travel to you in your home to treat you at a home visit. We can also give you a home exercise and stretching program to complete at home in between treatment sessions so that you can remain active and manage your pain when it strikes.