How Does Physical Therapy Help Osteoarthritis Pain?

Millions of Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis — and a very common cause of joint problems, especially with age. OA happens when daily wear and tear weakens and erodes the smooth cartilage that cushions the bones within your joints. 

As this layer wears away, friction and pain with the affected joint increase, and everyday movements can become uncomfortable and limiting. OA can’t be cured or reversed, but it can be managed — and physical therapy (PT) can play an essential role. 

At Minit Medical Urgent Care and Physical Therapy, our expert team develops personalized, patient-centered PT plans tailored to each person’s symptoms, lifestyle, and other individual factors for ultimate relief. Here’s how PT can help you manage OA more effectively.

1. Improves joint function

Friction and inflammation inside a joint can limit how we use it. The affected joint becomes sore and stiff, and altering or limiting our movements to reduce these symptoms winds up making them worse over time.

PT includes gentle range-of-motion exercises designed to keep joints moving safely. Improving flexibility helps reduce stiffness, supports smoother motion, and makes activities like walking, bending, and reaching more comfortable.

2. Strengthens muscles that support the joints

Weight-bearing joints depend on supporting muscles to help bear strain and pressure during movement. If those muscles are weak or deconditioned, wear and tear on your joints increases — and so do joint pain and stiffness.

PT exercises focus on strengthening muscles around arthritic joints to improve stability and reduce joint strain. Stronger muscles help absorb shock and allow your joints to move more efficiently and more comfortably during everyday activities, too.

3. Reduces pain without relying on medication

Because arthritis often affects hips, knees, ankles, and the spine, its symptoms can be almost impossible to escape — and as a result, you may find yourself turning to higher and higher doses of medication to try and find some measure of relief. 

While medication may temporarily ease arthritis pain, it definitely has its own side effects to worry about, especially at higher doses. Plus, it does nothing to address the underlying cause.

PT uses targeted exercises, manual techniques, and movement strategies based on your real-life activities and symptoms to help decrease — and prevent — joint pain naturally. Over time, a personal PT program helps reduce dependence on medication while improving overall joint function.

4. Improves balance and coordination

When joints are stiff and painful, it alters the way you move, and that can take a toll on your balance and coordination. In turn, problems with balance increase the risks of falls and related injuries.

In addition to strengthening the muscles that support your joints, we incorporate balance and coordination exercises to improve stability — and confidence — when you move. Feeling more confident about the way you move helps you stay more active, too.

5. Teaches joint-protective movement techniques

Over time, certain movements and habits we take for granted can actually place a significant amount of unnecessary stress on arthritic joints, especially problems involving your gait or even your posture. That means you can wind up increasing joint pain and stiffness without even realizing you’re doing it — and without knowing how to protect your joints.

During your therapy sessions, our team teaches proper body mechanics and joint-protection techniques for all sorts of activities, including daily actions like walking, lifting, and climbing stairs. We also focus on your posture and ergonomic improvements at home and at work to support your joints — no matter what you’re doing.

6. Supports long-term health and wellness

When joints hurt, it’s natural to limit movement to reduce painful symptoms. Over time, though, limiting your movement can make arthritic joints even more stiff and painful — and it can increase your risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems, too.

Through PT, you’ll learn healthy, safe ways to stay active without worsening symptoms or putting excess strain on your joints. With personalized attention and at-home activities, your PT program encourages a more active, engaged lifestyle that in turn promotes better long-term wellness.

Find relief for your sore joints

PT helps you manage your OA symptoms, so you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle without disabling pain. For many people, a responsive, proactive OA treatment plan helps delay or even avoid more invasive solutions, including joint surgery.

To find out how a personalized physical therapy plan can help you stay active, request an appointment online or over the phone with Minit Medical Urgent Care and Physical Therapy in Kihei, Kahului, and Lahaina, Hawaii, today.