Zionsville: Relieving Low Back, Hip & Knee Arthritis

RELIEVING LOW BACK, HIP & KNEE ARTHRITIS Do you suffer from back, knee or hip pain? It is possible you may have osteoarthritis inthose joints.Osteoarthritis (OA) isthemostcommoncondition of the joints, affecting approximately 27 million Americans. With OA, there is a breakdown in the cartilage covering the ends of bones. As the cartilage wears away, the bones become exposed and rub against each other.

The deterioration of cartilage also affects the shape and makeup of the joint so that itno longer functionssmoothly.The ligamentsand tendonsaround the joint become stiff and the muscles that support the joint can become weak. This leads to even more painful rubbing of the joint surfaces. Therearemanystudiesandpatientsuccessstoriespromotingtheeffectiveness ofphysicaltherapyforosteoarthritis.OurexperttherapistsatZionsvillePhysical Therapyaretrainedspecifically intreatingpatientssufferingfromosteoarthritis and work to obtain optimal results. Study Shows How to Relieve OA Pain. In a medical study, 83 patients with osteoarthritis were assigned to receive either hands-on physical therapy (treatment group) or a pill that actually did nothing to help their pain without them knowing (placebo group). Tests were done to measure how well the people were doing 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 1 year later. The results were very impressive with the patients who had hands-on physical therapy combined withgentle,specificexercises.Theyshowedsignificant improvements in their pain, mobility and function. By 8 weeks, patients were able to walk further and faster with much less, or completelyresolvedpain.Their jointstiffness,achesandmobilityhad improved by 55% as compared to the group who had no treatment. At one year, patients 7 TIPS TO HELP YOUR ARTHRITIS When itcomes to treatingarthritis,youmayhavemoreoptions thanyou realize.There is a lot you can do to reduce your aches and pains from arthritis, while gaining more mobility and function. People often experience pain from arthritis because of stiff joints, muscles and other tissues. In addition, muscles become weak, therefore not supporting the arthritic joints. Our customized physical therapy treatments promote muscle strength, improve range of motion, increase mobility and ease pain. Coupling PT interventions with the following tips can help you live life to the fullest and get you back to doing the things you love: 1. Education and self-management. Knowing more about the anatomy and physi- ology of your joints, and how your muscles protect the joints, helps you to under- stand which activities to continue and which to limit or modify. During a course of physical therapy, you have opportunities to show your therapist how you walk, stretch, squat, lift and reach, so that your body mechanics can be corrected and you can begin to practice better methods for doing your day-to-day activities. 2. Weight loss. Maintaining your recommended weight or losing weight if you are overweight can lessen your pain by reducing stress on your affected joints. Weight loss specifically helps ease pressure on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees, as well as relieves lower back strain from a large abdomen.. www.ZionsvillePT.com

in the treatment group still were doing great in terms of less pain and more mobility.Otherbenefits included lessneed forsurgerywithonly5%ofpatients in the treatment group having undergone surgery as compared to 20% with the placebo group. Ifyouaresuffering fromosteoarthritis,ourphysical therapy treatments relieve your pain. Isn’t it time you did something about your pain and movement? Call us today at Zionsville Physical Therapy to learn more about our ARTHRITIS PROGRAM so we can make a positive difference in your life. Annalsof InternalMedicine:February1,2000vol.132no.3173-181.GailD.Deyle,MPT;NancyE.Henderson, PhD,MPT;RobertL.Matekel,MPT;MichaelG.Ryder,MPT;MatthewB.Garber,MPT;andStephenC.Allison, PhD,MPT,ECS 3. Footwear and insoles. If arthritis affects your spine, hips, knees or feet, better footwear and insoles can reduce pain and improve walking. 4. Knee braces. For osteoarthritis with associated knee instability, a knee brace can reduce pain, improve stability and reduce the risk of falling. 5. Canes, walking/hiking sticks, walkers or crutches. Canes and walking or hiking sticks can increase your base of support, making uneven surfaces more easily and safely navigated. Your physical therapist will have specific recommendations for you, based on your tested skills in balance and strength. Refusing to use a crutch, cane or walker doesn’t necessarily make you look younger; it can result in a fall and fracture, and much worse pain and dependence. 6.Heatandcold. Many people find the heat of a warm bath, heat pack or paraffin bath eases arthritis pain. Others find relief in cold packs. Still others prefer alternating the two. 7. Exercise. Exercise has been proven to help reduce arthritis pain while increasing strength and function. Knowing the right kinds of exercises to do is the key. Working with our PT’s in a specific course of physical therapy based on your particular issues, will get you MOVING in the right direction.

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