Arthritis & Joint Pain
Arthritis causes joint pain, stiffness and swelling, most often osteoarthritis in the knees, hips, hands and spine, and rheumatoid arthritis in people whose immune system attacks the joints. Physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for arthritis pain, and the right exercise does not wear joints out faster. Western Slope Rehab and Performance treats arthritis in Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton and the Redlands.
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Both cause stiff joints and pain. They have different causes, and physical therapy has a role in each.
Osteoarthritis
The wear-and-tear kind. Cartilage in the joint wears down with age, past injury or overuse, including old sports injuries and years of repetitive work. Extra body weight adds strain to the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
An autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, causing stiffness, swelling and pain, usually in the same joints on both sides of the body.
What PT does for each
We find which joints are involved and build a program to keep them moving, strong and flexible. For rheumatoid arthritis physical therapy works alongside the care from your doctor.
Do you have it?
Stiff joints when you first get out of bed that ease as the day goes on are a common sign. Many people wait too long to get help.
Exercise helps arthritis instead of hurting it
It is natural to want to protect a painful joint. But a joint that does not move gets stiffer, and the muscles around it get weaker, which puts more load on the joint. Strong muscles share that load.
Arthritis exercise at WSRP is simple and focused: strengthening, range-of-motion work and flexibility, chosen for your joints and dosed to what you can handle. We also show you exercises to do on your own and how to protect your joints in daily life. When the joint is stiff, Manual Therapy and joint mobilization can help it move more freely first.
Arthritis in the joint that bothers you
Knee arthritis
Pain on stairs, getting up from a chair or after sitting. Read about Knee Pain.
Hip arthritis
Groin or side-of-hip pain and stiffness when you get going. Read about Hip Pain.
Hand and wrist
Aching, stiff or weak hands. See Upper Extremity Pain.
Bone on bone, joint replacement and getting ready for surgery
Being told your joint is bone on bone is frightening, but X-rays and pain do not always match. Many people with advanced changes still do well with strengthening and activity changes, and some choose to put off a knee or hip replacement. Whether or not surgery is right for you is a decision for you and your surgeon.
If you do decide to go ahead, getting stronger first helps. See Pre-Surgical Physical Therapy for preparing for surgery and Post-Surgical Rehab for recovery afterward. If you are weighing how to avoid or delay a knee replacement, a good program can help you make that decision from a stronger place.
Staying active day to day
Walking and daily activities
- Gait training if pain changes how you walk
- Learning to use a cane or walker if it would help
- Adjusting how you do tasks that flare your joints
Staying strong
- Weight-bearing exercise in your tolerance
- Strengthening around the joint
- A home program you can keep up
Common questions about arthritis and PT
Will exercise make my arthritis worse?
The right exercise generally does not. Your therapist chooses movements and amounts that fit your joints, and adjusts if something flares.
Does physical therapy help rheumatoid arthritis?
Yes. Physical therapy can help keep joints moving and muscles strong. Your doctor stays in charge of the medical side of rheumatoid arthritis.
Get your joints moving again in Grand Junction
Come see us from Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton or the Redlands. You can start physical therapy without a referral from a doctor in most cases. Some insurance plans, including Medicare, still need a doctor's sign-off on the plan of care (Direct Access). Call (970) 314-9822 and we will check your plan.
We see patients from Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Valley: Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton and the Redlands.