Arthritis and Joint Therapy

Our approach to Arthritis and Joint Therapy is to get your moving again. Quite often, when someone is experiencing pain from arthritis and stiffness in their joints, they tend to rest too much. While tempting, this is not the right way to approach your arthritic pain and joint stiffness.

What To Expect During Arthritis and Joint Therapy

Perth Wellness Centre’s physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and chiropractors work together to customize an individual treatment plan for your arthritic pain and joint stiffness relief. Part of the assessment will include:

• Your physiotherapist will teach you proper posture and movement for your everyday tasks in a manner where your pain can be diminished.
• If needed, show you the best way to use assistive devices such as canes.
• Use hot and cold therapy to ease your pain.
• Recommend splints, braces, and shoe inserts to take some of the stress off your knees and ankles.
• An Occupational Therapist will assess your everyday situation and suggest modifications to your lifestyle and environment. These can include ergonomic work chairs for the office and cushioned floor mats for your kitchen.

Once this assessment is put together, you will have a consultation session with your treatment team so that they can explain the details and goals of their plan and make sure that it aligns with your goals as well.

How We Treat Assist Arthritis & Joint Therapy

After your assessment, you will be introduced to your customized physical therapy program. You will learn exercises to aid you in reducing your arthritic pain and stiffness. After your first few instructional visits, you will be able to do your exercises at home.

These exercises, at first, will cause some discomfort. Your progress will be gradual, but you will be better equipped to deal with your conditions in a more comfortable manner. There will be times where you will be referred to the chiropractor for adjustments if your physiotherapist deems this appropriate.

To get you moving more comfortably, hydrotherapy may be included in your joint therapy. Water exercises allow your body to slowly become accustomed to moving with less pain.

Trigger point therapy and massage may also be a part of your treatment protocol. If your program includes massage, your sessions will start slowly and gently with Swedish massage techniques as tolerated. Trigger point therapy will go after massaging those troublesome and painful knots in the muscles.

If we suspect an injury beyond your arthritic condition and joint stiffness, you may be referred for imaging such as x-rays or MRI. If that injury is confirmed, your further treatment may be reassessed by not only your Perth Wellness team but a medical doctor as well.

Related Services