Bone-related issues can be problematic and become more evident with age. Osteoarthritis is a common problem among older people; unsurprisingly, most people don’t know the least about this condition. A degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis causes pain and stiffness in the joints. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability, but you can treat it with medication and other therapies.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition when the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion for your joints wears away. Cartilage has poor blood flow and requires a healthy amount of synovial fluid to retain its shape.
When you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and thinner over time, creating more friction between bones. This causes pain, stiffness, and limited movement of your joints — especially in weight-bearing areas such as knees or hips.
Managing Arthritis: How Does a Physio help
Physiotherapy (PT) or physio is the type of healthcare profession or alternate line of treatment that focuses on enhancing the mobility and functioning of the affected parts of the body. Physio involves several techniques like hydrotherapy, manual therapy, and electrotherapy that help alleviate the pain.
However, you can manage osteoarthritis with proper treatment, including physiotherapy and medications. And while surgery may sometimes be necessary to relieve symptoms, there are many other ways to help your body heal naturally. Here are some of the common tips that many physios recommend:
- Exercise regularly: Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis exists, staying active can help alleviate symptoms. While it’s important to avoid strenuous activity that causes pain in an inflamed joint, gentle exercise can help improve mobility and strengthen muscles around your joints. Exercise also helps reduce stress and improve strength and flexibility—two important things when dealing with any chronic condition like osteoarthritis.
- Warm up before activity: Warming up before you start exercising can reduce muscle strain by increasing blood flow to your muscles to prepare for action. A good warm-up should last about 10 minutes, during which you might walk briskly or do some stretches. You may also want to consider decreasing the intensity of your exercise if it’s too strenuous for a particular joint.
Exercises Recommend by Physio for Arthritis Pains
There are numerous ways to manage osteoarthritis, but exercise is one of the best ways. Exercising helps improve strength and flexibility, which can help reduce your pain. Here’s what physio experts recommend for people with osteoarthritis:
- Stretching: Stretching helps improve your flexibility, which reduces the risk of injury during physical activity. It also helps with blood flow to your muscles.
- Cardiovascular exercise: Cardiovascular exercise such as walking, cycling, or swimming is recommended because it burns calories and improves circulation, which helps reduce inflammation in joints affected by osteoarthritis and also improves overall health.
- Walking is the most straightforward exercise you can do for your joints. It only takes 10 minutes! Just take a nice walk around your neighbourhood or local park.
- Biking: Cycling is another great exercise that doesn’t require much effort. You may want to avoid cycling on uneven terrain or surfaces because this may cause more stress on your joints than necessary.
- Swimming: Swimming is great for building endurance while providing a low-impact workout for your joints. It provides similar benefits without being as strenuous on your body as running outdoors during winter. However, if swimming isn’t an option due to weather conditions or lack of space, consider walking in the water.
These are some of the Common Exercise is recommended by a physio that can help in overcoming osteoarthritis and other chronic pain. However, it is important to see the these recommendations from a qualified physiotherapist. Having the best physiotherapist with you ensures that you are undergoing the right line of treatment. Make sure that the physio that you hired has the right qualifications and who is the license to render their services.
Final thoughts
Osteoarthritis often becomes frustrating, as it causes joint pain and stiffness. It’s also challenging to treat, as no specific medications or therapies will make your osteoarthritis disappear. Still, you can mitigate osteoarthritis pains to acceptable levels with the right workouts. Instead of popping painkillers, you can sign up for a relaxing physio session that will give your muscles the activity they need to beat osteoarthritis pains, or even take up exercise yourself for the same reason!
However, seeking a recommendation from a doctor is important here. Hence, it is ideal to look out for physiotherapy specialist who can help reduce your pain.
