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What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis may be a more complicated challenge than many of us realize, if only because the term really just describes any condition that causes chronic joint pain and inflammation. Over 100 different disorders fall under this broad category, including:

Osteoarthritis – A degenerative joint condition and therefore the commonest type of arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis – Common arthritis, during which auto-immune reactions target the joints
Psoriatic arthritis –Arthritis triggered by the system, seen in individuals who even have psoriasis.
Gout – A painful sort of arthritis that likes to attack the joints of the toes.

Types of Arthritis:

There are two common types of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis – It is a very common type of arthritis that is the result of a lifetime of joint mobility along with particular changes that occur as people age. Healthy joints have a layer of cartilage that works as a shock absorber and anti-friction component, as well as a lubricating fluid to keep the bone ends moving smoothly. The formation of lubricating fluid, on the other hand, might reduce over time, causing the cartilage to become thinner and more worn until it eventually breaks down completely. This causes discomfort, stiffness, and inflammation, which usually gets worse when you try to move or put weight on the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis – It is caused by an auto-immune disease or dysfunction. The same protective mechanisms that ordinarily fight off disease decide to target your joints, treating them as the enemy. This causes severe inflammation that comes and goes, resulting in joint swelling and deformity.

How Physiotherapy can help:-

Daily exercise isn’t enough to reverse arthritis, but it can help slow down the disease’s progression and alleviate its painful symptoms.

Once we’ve figured out what’s causing your arthritis and how it’s hurting your quality of life, we’ll be able to create a customized treatment plan that may include:

Activity – Depending on the severity of your condition, we may recommend a passive range of motion exercises, joint strengthening activities, and/or light aerobic exercise to get your blood flowing and improve your cardiovascular health.
Soft tissue therapies – Techniques like deep tissue therapies, which are manual therapy techniques, can help relieve arthritis pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Soft tissue therapies such as laser therapy, ultrasound, and other soft tissue therapies can also be beneficial.
A physiotherapist can give you a variety of stretches and exercises to help you target specific pain locations.
Physiotherapists are experts in their field.