Are You Ready to Find Relief?
Let’s face it: your joints aren’t treating you as well as they once did. You could be dealing with the aftereffects of an injury that has made it difficult for you to move around the way you used to. Or maybe you just have age-related arthritis, and everything is starting to hurt!
One thing is certain: taking excessive amounts of over-the-counter pain relievers and sitting around all day is not going to help you. If you want to start living your life without being limited by joint aches and pains, it’s time to start looking for a natural solution…physical therapy.
Why do my joints hurt?
If you want to understand how physical therapy can help you with joint pain, you must first understand why those symptoms are occurring in the first place!
Joint stiffness and pain can be caused by a variety of issues, including an acute sprain or strain. Inflammation can occur when the joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments are harmed. This period of pain can be excruciating and render you completely immobile.
Soft tissue injuries do not always occur as a result of an accident. They can also emerge gradually over months or even years. You may notice that the pain ebbs and flows with the time of day. Certain sports, jobs, and hobbies can cause you to repeatedly put excessive stress on certain joints, which could lead to chronic tendinitis or bursitis!
Common reasons for joint pain
Can you believe that it’s possible to develop soft tissue pain from doing absolutely nothing? It’s strange, but true. to as “frozen shoulder.” If you’ve had to wear a sling for a while, this is an unpleasant condition that can render your shoulder useless for an extended period of time.
The most common condition that causes pain and stiffness is osteoarthritis, also known as arthritis. This condition can affect people of any age, but it is most common in older people. It is caused by age-related deterioration of the cartilage between the bones in a joint. However, osteoarthritis isn’t the only condition to be on the lookout for. Another painful, debilitating joint condition caused by autoimmune issues is rheumatoid arthritis.
What kind of treatment can I expect in physical therapy?
There are numerous causes of joint aches and pains; the list is never-ending! Fortunately, there are many different types of physical therapy that can address these symptoms, increase your range of motion, and alleviate your pain.
Our physical therapists will begin by carefully evaluating your condition, including your overall health and physical activities and the frequency with which you experience your symptoms. Proper examination of the joint and your ability to move it can show your therapist the underlying problem, allowing them to create a more personalized treatment plan for you.
You may be advised to undergo certain types of physical therapy. Here are a few examples:
- Joint mobilization techniques: Have you ever heard of a “wobble board?” They’re also known as balance boards. Working with these tools can help you improve your joint mobility, especially in your foot or ankle joints. You might also benefit from techniques that work to loosen and break up internal scar tissue, which can form over old injuries and cause chronic soreness and stiffness.
- Stretching exercises: Did you know that injured muscles and connective tissues are capable of healing and returning to their previous length and range of motion? It’s possible with the help of stretching exercises. These exercises are also excellent for preventing arthritic joints from becoming more stiff over time. Workouts and on a bicycle or treadmill may be suggestions our physical therapists propose to you.
- Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy can supply beneficial exercise for people who are unable to bear all of their weight on their joints. Learning to do gentle exercises in the water allows the water to support part of your body weight. This is excellent therapy because it will allow you to move those joints and rebuild the corresponding joint tissues.
- RICE: Nope, this isn’t a food! RICE stands for “Rest,” “Ice,” “Compression” and “Elevation.” Your physical therapist may recommend RICE to you to reduce pain and inflammation.
Ready to start living with less pain? Contact Aspen Rehabilitation physical therapy today!
Say goodbye to the days of dealing with joint pain. You don’t have to live like this! Your life can be significantly improved with the assistance of physical therapy. So, what are you holding out for? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our licensed physical therapists. We’r e eager to meet with you and get you back on track to recovery.
