Find Relief from Osteoarthritis Pain
Are you experiencing persistent joint pain, particularly in a weight-bearing joint like your hip or knee? Do you ever notice a clicking or grinding sensation in your painful joint? If so, you may have developed osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis in the United States.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation and lead to pain and restricted mobility. The source of that inflammation will vary depending on the type of arthritis. In osteoarthritis, it’s caused by degeneration of the cartilage and bone tissue in the affected joint.
Osteoarthritis has no cure and can profoundly impact your overall quality of life, making it harder for you to stay active, keep up with chores, and enjoy time with your loved ones. Fortunately, physical therapy at ARC Physical Therapy offers several tools and techniques to help you manage your symptoms — often enough that you can delay or even avoid surgical interventions.
If you’re tired of living with osteoarthritis pain, contact us to schedule an appointment today!
Understanding Osteoarthritis: Symptoms and Causes
The primary symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in the affected joint. These symptoms often manifest in the following ways:
- Pain during activity but not while at rest
- Pain when you press on the joint
- Joint stiffness first thing in the morning
- Joint stiffness after sitting or lying down for long periods
- Noises in the joint, including creaking, cracking, or crunching
While any joint can develop osteoarthritis, it most commonly occurs in weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. However, it’s also fairly common in the hands, spine, and feet.
The causes of osteoarthritis are complex, and several factors can contribute to it. One of these factors is age: approximately 73% of people with the condition are 55 years or older. That’s not to say osteoarthritis is an inevitable part of the aging process — plenty of older people don’t have it. But your chances of developing it do increase as you age.
Other possible factors contributing to osteoarthritis include past injuries to the joint, gender (women are more likely to develop it than men), body weight, and even genetic predispositions.
How Physical Therapy Helps Manage Osteoarthritis Symptoms
The good news is that you can control osteoarthritis symptoms with the help of physical therapy. Although movement can be painful with osteoarthritis, exercise is one of the best drug-free ways to manage the condition. Our physical therapists will help you find an exercise program that suits your needs.
Here’s how we’ll do it:
Comprehensive Evaluation: We start by evaluating how osteoarthritis impacts you, including performing simple tests to assess your strength, mobility, and/or balance. We’ll also ask you about the ways that osteoarthritis is negatively affecting your life. For example, which activities do you find challenging?
Provide Pain Relief: We’ll use manual therapy techniques to help manage your pain and get the joint moving in a gentle way. For example, we might guide the joint through its current range of motion or manipulate the surrounding soft tissue.
Build Strength and Restore Mobility: We’ll develop a customized, progressive exercise program to rebuild lost strength and mobility in the affected joint. Building strength, in particular, can help support and protect the joint so you can move more easily.
Develop An At-Home Exercise Program: You’ll supplement your sessions in our clinic with a personalized home workout program to ensure you keep moving! We’ll find something that suits your abilities and interests, such as a walking program or water aerobics.
Provide Strategies for Activity Modifications: Finally, we can help you identify and avoid any specific activities that might put too much strain on your joints. If needed, we can also show you how to use mobility aids (such as canes or walkers).
Don’t Let Osteoarthritis Pain Hold You Back!
We know that living with osteoarthritis can be difficult, but the physical therapists at ARC Physical Therapy are here to help you manage your condition and live your life to the fullest. With customized treatment plans, targeted exercise programs, and acute pain management techniques, physical therapy can help you take control of osteoarthritis pain.
Ready to get started? Contact us to schedule your initial consultation today!
Patient Success Spotlight
“I am a 76 year-old woman, and I have gone to many therapy sessions and therapists in my lifetime, but not one of them could compare to the excellent, knowledgeable, caring therapists at ARC. I gave them five stars, but would rather have given them 10 stars! Greg is wonderful and so is Shannon. Everyone in this place is so friendly — even the clients. If you are in need of therapy, I would highly recommend ARC in Westmont, IL. They will not disappoint you.”
—Audrey W.
Simple Movements to Help Alleviate OA Pain
If you have osteoarthritis, it’s important to stay active to help keep your joints healthy. While our physical therapists can help you develop a suitable exercise program, you can also incorporate movement in small ways throughout the day.
These simple exercises will help mobilize your joints, and you can easily do them at home. Of course, check with your physical therapist before starting anything new!
Ankle Circles
While sitting in a chair, stretch your feet out in front of you, keeping them neutral (neither pointed nor flexed). Gently tilt both feet in one direction, then repeat in the other.
Knee Raises
Sit on the edge of your chair with your back straight and your feet planted on the floor. Slowly lift your knee as high as possible without bending your back, guiding it up with your hands if necessary. Then, making sure to keep your core tight, gently lower your foot back to the floor. Repeat on the other side.
Overhead Shoulder Stretches
You can do this exercise sitting or standing. Hold your arms at your side, your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and your thumbs pointed toward your shoulders. Then, stretch your arms straight overhead and slowly lower back down.
If lifting both arms is too difficult, lift them one at a time. You can guide your arm up under the elbow if necessary.
Looking for more simple arthritis stretches? Call ARC Physical Therapy for an appointment today!
Exercise of the Month
Knee Extension AROM
Start by sitting up straight on the edge of a table with your legs hanging off. Slowly extend one knee all the way until your leg is straight without letting your back round. Then, allow your knee to bend back down. Repeat with your other leg. Continue alternating as directed by your physical therapist. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
Feel Better by Eating Better!
Crockpot Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2-3 teaspoons taco seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 cups red enchilada sauce
- 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-2 cups cooked white or brown rice
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Tortilla chips, for serving
- Yogurt, shredded cheddar, avocado, mango salsa, and green onion, for serving
This simple Crockpot Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect bowl of wholesome, filling soup to warm up to on the coldest of days. Just throw everything into the crockpot in the morning, no searing chicken or anything, and come home to a delicious dinner at night.
Instructions:
In the bowl of your crockpot, layer the onion, jalapeños, and garlic. Add the chicken, cumin, taco seasoning, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pour over the enchilada sauce and 3 cups of broth.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir in the rice, cilantro, and lime juice.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips. Then finish as desired with a dollop of yogurt, cheese, green onions, mango, and cilantro. Enjoy!
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-spicy-chicken-tortilla-soup
Let’s Get You Better ASAP!
Don’t let pain dictate your life. Take the first step towards reclaiming your mobility and well-being with our expert support. Start your journey to a healthier you today.
