Arthritis - Arthritis Treatment in Mandurah | Arthritis is Osteoarthritis
Mandurah Physiotherapy therapists are trained to deal with the treatment and maintenance of Arthritis. They assess these conditions, provide advice, treatment and exercise regimes to minimise its effects and maintain optimal function in daily activities and sports.
There are over 100 different types of arthritis, so the chance of having some sort of arthritis throughout one’s life is high. Arthritis is pain and inflammation around the joints. It may also be associated with inflammation in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The most common sort of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is wear and tear of the joints and most people get this type of arthritis if they live long enough. It can affect the limbs as well as your spine. If you have an arthritic complaint that is causing problems then you may need medical treatment and or physiotherapy to keep you going especially during flare-ups. Long term, people with arthritis need to learn how to manage their arthritis to keep their complaint under control. There are quite a few ways to do this. First of all, learn all you can about your condition. Your doctor, physiotherapist and the arthritis foundation of Western Australia can all assist in giving you information. Respect and listen to your pain. If an activity causes pains during or afterwards then modify or avoid the activity. Watch your weight. The excessive load will aggravate arthritic joints. Maintain your fitness and mobility. Gentle exercises in water or a hydrotherapy pool can be a great help to arthritis sufferers. Learn ways of controlling pain and inflammation. If an arthritic joint is very red, sore and hot then ice packs and rest may be advisable initially. Heat packs, on the other hand, can relieve spasm and soothe achy joints. There are also other measures such as arthritis creams, TENS units and medication which may help. Try to protect your joints by using labour-saving devices available through the arthritis foundation. There are lots available such as lifting devices, tap handles, opening jar devices, cleaning devices etc.
Finally, obtain an ongoing maintenance exercise program from your physiotherapist and do it on a regular basis. Physiotherapy can also assist in settling any flare-ups and often regular maintenance is helpful. Visit your family doctor for advice if you feel you cannot manage your arthritis. Certain medications may be helpful for you. Or you may need to see a specialist in this area, a rheumatologist. Your doctor can refer you for this if necessary. And the last piece of advice… Despite your condition you can still enjoy life, control the pain and keep up with your normal activities in some capacity. Mandurah Physiotherapy provides a variety of exercise regimes to combat arthritis, including hydrotherapy, home programs, clinical pilates, gym work and individual hands-on treatment.
Arthritis is a major cause of disability and handicap in Australia affecting people of all ages and walks of life. Arthritis is not a single condition. There are over 150 kinds of arthritis, all of which affect one or more joints in the body. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia, lupus, and gout, which account for 90% of all arthritis cases.
Arthritis is often misinterpreted as simply a disease that affects elderly people, in fact, 60% of those who are diagnosed with arthritis are between the ages of 15 – 60 years. One in one thousand children are also diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, while it is estimated that three in every thousand children live with the condition but remain undiagnosed.
The word arthritis comes from Greek: arth joint and itis inflammation. So, arthritis literally means inflammation of the joint.
Arthritis affects 3.4 million Australians, 16.7% of the population. Of the proportion of Australians affected, 60.4% are women. 60% of all people living with arthritis are of working age.
There is no one single cause or list of causes for arthritis. This is due to the fact that there are over 150 different types of arthritis, and often several factors contribute to an individual developing this common problem.
Different Types of Arthritis
The disease also can affect other parts of the body. Arthritis causes pain, loss of movement and sometimes swelling. Some types of arthritis are:
Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women.
Gout, which affects mostly men. It is usually the result of a defect in body chemistry. This painful condition most often attacks small joints, especially the big toe. Fortunately, gout almost always can be completely controlled with medication and changes in diet.
Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spine. As a result of inflammation, the bones of the spine grow together.
Juvenile arthritis, a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children. Children may develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or childhood forms of lupus, ankylosing spondylitis or other types of arthritis.
The systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), a serious disorder that can inflame and damage joints and other connective tissues throughout the body.
Scleroderma, a disease of the body’s connective tissue that causes a thickening and hardening of the skin.
Fibromyalgia, in which widespread pain affects the muscles and attachments to the bone. It affects mostly women.
As the specific causes of the different types of arthritis remain unclear, it is difficult to say what may assist in the prevention of the development of arthritis. However, listed below are a few steps that may be beneficial in reducing the effects of arthritis.
Maintain appropriate weight.
Protect joints from injuries and overuse.
Regularly exercise to maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Obviously, regular Physiotherapy care is of benefit too, ensuring an optimal spinal/joint range of movement and flexibility.
Eat a healthy diet as nutrients are vital for joint health.
Hydrate your body. Water makes up 70 per cent of the cartilage in joints and plays a major role in the lubrication and shock-absorbing properties of healthy joints.
