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Joint Pain

6 Common Causes of Joint Pain Physical Therapy Can Help

Are you having trouble keeping up with the basic demands of your day job? Do you have more trouble getting around your home than you once did? Do you look for excuses to withdraw from some of your favorite activities simply because it hurts to move, or you’re worried about injuring yourself? You’re probably suffering from joint pain, and you’re not alone.

This can turn even the most routine tasks into dreaded chores, or make them totally impossible to perform at all. Although you might be worried, joint pain is not something you can put off until later. You need to address this issue before it gets so bad that you risk sustaining an injury. Fortunately, you can get much of the help you need through physical therapy. Our physical therapist can help you optimize your mobility without drugs or surgery, so contact us today!

Causes of joint pain

If you’ve ever ruptured a joint ligament or fractured a bone in a joint, you’ve probably experienced a lot of pain that has kept you from leading a normal life. This is known as acute joint pain. But in some ways, chronic joint pain can be much more debilitating as it haunts you for month after month, and year after year.

This kind of joint pain is commonly caused or worsened by the following six conditions:

  1. Rheumatoid arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by abnormal immune system responses that attack the linings of joints, producing bouts of swelling, pain, stiffness, and joint damage.
  2. Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a progressive, usually age-related degeneration of the cartilage that normally cushions a joint’s bone ends.
  3. Degenerative disc disease – Age-related bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and other spinal changes can cause serious joint pain in the neck or back.
  4. Musculoskeletal imbalances – If your muscles suffer from uneven development, you may be unable to sustain symmetrical posture. This can create muscle spasms and trigger points that refer pain to the joints.
  5. Excess weight – The heavier you are, the more pressure your weight-bearing joints must withstand. These pressures can lead to premature joint deterioration and joint tissue strain.
  6. Non-ergonomic working conditions – An improperly-positioned workstation or other awkward workplace arrangements can force your body into stressful, painful positions.

If you know for a fact you’re dealing with any of the abovementioned conditions or pain problems, it’s a good idea to see a physical therapist as soon as possible. If you aren’t sure whether or not any of them apply to you, a physical therapist can still help to determine what the underlying cause of your pain is.

Physical therapy can help

Most cases of joint pain will respond to conservative, non-surgical forms of care. Unfortunately, not all such forms of care are equally useful. You’ve probably figured out for yourself already that pain-relieving drugs only go so far to ease your symptoms, and they do absolutely nothing to address their causes. The result is that you’re left dealing with the effects of chronic pain, off and on, for years.

Physical therapy can help your joints function more normally, improve your musculoskeletal health, and provide you with a greater range of motion safely and naturally. A few physical therapy options for joint pain include:

  • Stretches to increase your joint flexibility
  • Strength training to build up the strength in your joints’ supporting tissues
  • Walking, swimming, or cycling exercises to keep your joints moving
  • Lifestyle/ergonomic recommendations to help you perform daily tasks more comfortably
  • Massage, as well as heat and ice therapy to control joint pain and inflammation without drugs

Joint pain isn’t just annoying; it can be debilitating and even pose dangerous threats to your health and safety. If, for example, you can’t reliably turn your head to see traffic, you could easily end up in an auto accident. That’s horrible! Stiff joints that affect stance and gait can increase your risk of falls as well, which is especially dangerous for the older population.

If you believe that simply buttoning your shirt, cooking a meal, or writing a check may be beyond your abilities at this point in your life, medical help is required. Your pain needs to be slowed and reversed so you can continue to live the life you want!

Say goodbye to aching joints…

Joint pain may feel like it runs your life, but it doesn’t have to. If you want to get your old routine back, it’s time to contact a professional. Call a physical therapist at our clinic today to learn more about how our customized treatment programs can help you get back to a normal, pain-free way of living. Call our office today!

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