Chronic arthritis is a condition that affects millions of Americans every year. In many cases, it develops due to old age. In other cases, it may be the result of injury, frequent heavy labor or being overweight.
Regardless of the cause, if you have arthritis, you’ll need treatment from a health care professional to reduce pain and improve your range of motion. One form of treatment that many people with arthritis choose is physical therapy.
Physical therapy treatments for chronic arthritis
Physical therapists use many different techniques to help people with arthritis reduce their pain and regain some mobility. If you live near Harmony, Pennsylvania, you can visit Panther Physical Therapy for a personalized treatment that may include:
- Stretching and exercising — Pain in the joints caused by arthritis is made worse by stiff and weak muscles. Muscles in this condition fail to provide enough support for the body, which increases pressure on the joints.
Physical therapists can guide you through therapeutic exercises to help improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles. This can improve support for the joints and help lessen pain from arthritis. - Manual therapy — Manual therapy techniques include movements of the spine and joints that can help reduce pain and improve your range of motion. Manual therapy may not be right for people with arthritis in advanced stages, but it can help if you’re still in the earlier stages of the disease.
- Electrical stimulation — Electrical stimulation uses tiny surges of electricity to help soothe pain and release tension in the muscles. This can help improve support for the spine and joints affected by arthritis.
- Posture guidance — The way you stand or sit may have a much harder impact on your joints than you realize. Physical therapists can examine your posture and gait. They will find areas that could use improvement to help reduce pressure off the joints affected by arthritis.
- Education for using assistive devices — Sometimes, it’s necessary to use an assistive device like a walker or a cane when you have chronic arthritis. It can be hard to safely move around with these devices if you don’t know how to use them.
Physical therapists can show you how to safely and correctly use an assistive device to reduce the chances of falling while moving around.
Visit Panther Physical Therapy in Harmony for arthritis treatment
Do you live near the Harmony area and suffer from chronic arthritis? Our team at Panther Physical Therapy can help. Contact our team today to learn more about chronic arthritis treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.