Arthritis

Have You Been Living with Arthritis? Find the Relief You’ve Been Looking For

Relieve Arthritic Pains with Physical Therapy!

Have you woken up with stiff joints that make it hard to get around in the morning? Even if they may become less painful as the day goes on, you may still be experiencing early-onset arthritis in Muncy and Montoursville, PA.

Arthritis is a common condition that many people develop; however, many people deal with their painful joints for far too long before seeking professional help.

Fortunately, physical therapy is one treatment option that can be used to treat arthritis pain. One of our licensed physical therapists at Lycoming Physical Therapy will provide you with gentle exercises to help improve your range of motion, flexibility, and overall function in the affected joint(s).

They can also evaluate which joints are stiff and painful, and assess which exercises will help to relieve the pain of your arthritis during your daily activities.

Treatment doesn’t stop there: our therapists will provide you with the resources and knowledge you need to prevent arthritis-related injuries in the future.

If you are suffering from arthritis, or if you think you may have arthritic symptoms, schedule an appointment with Lycoming Physical Therapy today.

How can a physical therapist help with my arthritis?

Exercise-based recovery through physical therapy helps to restore the typical movement of your joints, improve muscle strength, and improve the way you walk, run, twist, and move.

Physical therapy can even help you avoid the need for surgery and harmful, possibly addicting drugs in many cases. Our treatments are tailored to your specific needs to help you recover quickly and achieve a more permanent outcome. We also teach you ways to prevent future joint injuries, and what you can do with proper therapeutic exercises on your own.

If you are suffering from arthritis, or if you think you might be, you could benefit greatly from our Muncy and Montoursville, PA physical therapy services.

Do you have either of these types of arthritis?

According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis affects over 50 million people and it is currently the leading cause of disability across the nation.

Arthritis causes pain and inflammation, and it can affect one or multiple joints at once. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most commonly experienced types:

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is typically easy to diagnose, as it is the most commonly experienced form of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage of the joint wears down, either due to age or overuse.

This causes pain in the joint, as the cartilage is no longer acting as the thick cushion that it once was. Without a cushion, the bones grind together, which in turn causes an inflammatory response in the joint.

Osteoarthritis can be caused by a sudden injury to the joint, or it can develop after a previous injury has fully healed.

Let’s say you played football and received a rough blow to your knee. You probably received treatment, recovered, and returned to the game thinking all was well again with your body.

Although the injury healed, there is a possibility that the damage that occurred to the cartilage or surrounding muscles has resulted in a decrease of support to the joint. The motion of the joint may also have slightly been altered. Therefore, it is still possible for you to develop osteoarthritis from that injury later in life.

This also applies to those who work jobs that require repetitive motion or cause the overuse of specific body parts. For example, say you are a construction worker. You swing a hammer in repetitive motions as a crucial part of your job, you may develop osteoarthritis in the joints of your elbows or hands.

Being overweight may also put you at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis, as it adds additional strain to your knee and hip joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers have come to believe that a person’s medical history, environment, and hormones could all be contributing factors toward the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis develops as an autoimmune response, meaning that the immune system sees the joints as a threat and decides to attack them.

Rheumatoid arthritis is also referred to as “inflammatory arthritis,” and is also fairly common. Because it is an autoimmune condition, it is common for it to affect the same joints on different sides of the body.

This condition is typically more prevalent in females than males as well. Those suffering from arthritis typically report soreness around joints, which is worse after prolonged sitting, standing, or inactivity.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may notice that pain can get worse when you move, for example, bending over at the knees to pick something up may be uncomfortable for you.

You may notice popping or clicking sounds in the affected joint(s) with movement, and the joint may be sensitive or painful to the touch. Arthritis can also cause pain when you exercise or work, and the pain may go away after you stop doing that activity.

Find relief for your arthritic pains today

Arthritis is holding you back. You deserve to enjoy life without suffering from pain.

Contact today to find out how our services can help you find long-lasting pain relief for your arthritis.

We treat all of our patients with the highest level of care, compassion, and understanding. You can rest assured that your symptoms and concerns will be taken into account as your customized treatment plan is designed for you.

Don’t let your arthritis limit you any longer – schedule an appointment today.