Can Physical Therapy Help Arthritis?
I get asked this question a lot… because a lot of people in the United States have arthritis.
According to the CDC, 31% of people who are inactive have been diagnosed with arthritis, 27% of those who have low activity levels, and 19% of people who are physically active… or about 1 out of 4 people overall. Arthritis (for this article, when the word “arthritis” is used I’m referring to osteoarthritis) occurs when the cartilage around a joint’s surface gets worn down, and the underlying bone starts to have some breakdown. This often happens with no pain whatsoever, but can also be very painful. In addition to pain, arthritis can limit a person’s ability to perform daily tasks (walking, using stairs, getting in and out of a chair, sports and recreational activities). People with arthritis are also significantly more likely to have falls, and for those falls to result in injury.
So can physical therapy help? In the vast majority of cases ABSOLUTELY!
In general, a physical therapy can help stretch tight muscles, and strengthen weak muscles to help take pressure off of an arthritic joint. Ever heard of the phrase “motion is lotion”? This rings true especially with arthritis. Movement helps to lubricate even arthritic joints, by increasing synovial fluid within the joint.
What will a session at Bespoke Physical Therapy look like for arthritis?
At Bespoke Physical Therapy we treat the person, not the diagnosis. No one at Bespoke is given an “arthritis protocol” with generic exercises. Every person is different, every person’s goals are different, and every person’s anatomy is different. Because of these vast differences, every person’s physical therapy plan should be different.
A Bespoke Physical Therapy Evaluation for anyone (including someone with arthritis) is a 3 step process:
Step 1: We start by listening.
We want to know what is going on from the client’s perspective. We will be sure not to miss anything by asking questions such as:
Where is the pain?
When did it start?
What makes it better and what makes it worse?
What functions are limited by this problem (work, recreational activities, parenting activities, moving around one’s home, balance…)?
Have any treatments helped (or hurt) in the past?
Step 2: We gather data.
Keeping the history the patient has told us in mind, a Bespoke Physical Therapist will perform tests and measures to “rule in” or “rule out” what is going on. Your Doctor of Physical Therapy will test things like:
Sensation
Strength
Balance
Walking
Muscle length
How well the joints are moving
Functional movements that pertain to your individual needs
note: These are measurements are performed gently, so no need to be nervous or fearful ahead of time. People are often in pain when they begin physical therapy, and the last thing we want to do is to make them feel worse.
Step 3: We create a customized plan.
Lastly we get to the good stuff! Your Physical Therapist will:
Educate you on what the tests and measurements are indicating. This sometimes involves the use of anatomy models or good old fashioned anatomy textbooks.
Present you with a plan of action based on these results
Typically we will provide hands-on manual-therapy treatment designed to help decrease your pain, increase your range of motion, help your muscles to function in a more productive way, or a combination of these.
Create a home exercise program for tailored for you. Your physical therapist will have you try out a few exercises that specifically address your needs, coach you on exercise form, and adjust the exercises to be sure they’re a good fit. Once the routine is going well, you will receive a handout or a video to help you continue these exercises at home.
Make a recommendation for how many times and how many weeks it would be best for you to return for in person physical therapy visits. Typically clients come to Bespoke 1-2 times a week for 3-4 weeks. This recommendation could be more or less depending on the person. In-person visits are vital to provide hands-on interventions when needed, advance the exercise program, and adjust to changes that happen during the healing process.
If you’re considering physical therapy for arthritis or another problem, please reach out- we are here to help :)
One more thing: Have you been told that you need a joint replacement due to arthritis? Please consider trying physical therapy first! It is not uncommon for people to come to Bespoke Physical Therapy completely sure that they need a joint replacement (or either surgery), and feeling great without surgery 1-2 months later.