Aquatic Therapy Can Ease Arthritis Pain
Have you ever woken up with tight joints that ache as soon as you move or become more painful throughout the day? If you answered yes, you may be experiencing early-onset arthritic symptoms. Aquatic therapy is a successful treatment choice for arthritis sufferers.
Many people suffer from this illness and refuse to seek therapy because they assume it is something they will have to cope with as they age. This could not be further from the truth! With our aquatic treatment program, our qualified and experienced therapists can assist you in managing your arthritis pain.
If you’re looking for long-term relief from arthritic pain, aquatic treatment is a fantastic option. Our goal at our clinic is to ensure that you can go about your daily activities without being hurt.
Common types of arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that attacks the joints of the body by causing mass amounts of pain and inflammation. According to the CDC “In the United States, 23% of all adults—over 54 million people—have arthritis. About 24 million adults are limited in their activities from arthritis, and more than 1 in 4 adults with arthritis report severe joint pain.”
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Combined with some changes that take place during aging, this condition is typically a natural consequence of a lifetime of joint movement. It can form as a result of a sudden injury to a joint, and it can develop even if a previous injury has healed!
Safe joints not only provide a lubricating fluid to keep the ends of the bone moving smoothly but also a cartilage layer that serves as a part of shock absorption and anti-friction. Over time, however, the lubricating fluid output can begin to dry up, as the cartilage becomes thinner and wearier until it eventually breaks down completely. If you try to shift or place weight on the joint, this leaves you with discomfort, swelling, and inflammation that typically feels worse.
Rheumatoid arthritis is another kind of arthritis that is caused by an auto-immune disorder or dysfunction. The same defense mechanisms that normally fight disease-causing germs decide to turn on your joints, mistaking them for the enemy and attacking them. This causes painful inflammation that comes and goes, leaving joint swelling and deformity in its wake. Your medical history, hormones, and environment are a few. It’s also common for this condition to affect the same joints on opposite sides of the body because of the fact that it is an autoimmune disease.
How to know if aquatic therapy could help alleviate arthritis symptoms
Aquatic therapy may help to restore the use of joints affected by either of these arthritic conditions and also increase your ability to move about and participate in everyday activities.
If you’re experiencing any of the following commonly experienced symptoms, aquatic therapy could be your best bet to finding pain relief!
Are you dealing with any of these on a daily basis?
- Joint pain
- Reduced range of motion
- Stiffness in the affected area
- Trouble getting up on your own or sitting down
- Swelling and inflammation
- Tenderness or soreness especially in the mornings as you begin to move around
If your answer is yes, aquatic therapy could provide several benefits to you!
Benefits of aquatic therapy for arthritis pain and discomfort
People with arthritis can benefit from aquatic treatment in a variety of ways. Aquatic therapy patients are frequently able to forgo having costly surgery or purchasing drugs entirely! Your professional and experienced therapists at Freedom Rehab Aquatic Therapy will be able to do a comprehensive physical examination in order to find the best treatment for your individual pain issues.
Aquatic treatment is a great alternative for people with arthritis since it helps to restore normal joint motion, strengthen supporting muscles, and improve general mobility. For long-term rehabilitation, our aquatic therapy treatments are tailored to your unique needs. We can also show you how to prevent future joint injuries as well as at-home therapy exercises that you can do on your own.
Some exercises your aquatic therapist at Freedom Rehab Aquatic Therapy may teach you during your treatment time with us are:
- Water walking
- Forward lunges
- Sidestepping
- Hip kickers
- Jumping jacks
- Frog jumps
- Squat jumps
These are just a handful of common exercises that your therapist can use to help you. Your skilled and experienced therapists will be able to assist you with increasing your range of motion in the affected joints, and your treatment will depend on your specific condition and the symptoms you’re trying to alleviate.
Call our clinic today for more information
If you’re struggling with arthritis or have noticed any of the arthritic symptoms listed above, it’s a good idea to contact an aquatic therapist for an assessment as soon as possible. Your days of succumbing to arthritis pain and discomfort could become few and far between, but there’s only one way to find out! Give us a call today to set up your first appointment. We can’t to see you!