Health blog Category: Arthritis Pain
How Can I Fix My Arthritis?
There are many things that can cause you to feel pain in your joints. One of the more common diagnoses is arthritis. Arthritis is inflammation and swelling that happens in our joints. There are many different types of arthritis but the one we see most commonly in our clinic is Osteoarthritis. This is swelling and pain that affects our bones and joints. This can occur in any of our joints, but is most common in our hands, spine, hips and knees.
Read full blogWhy Does My Knee Hurt When I Sit Too Long?
Has your knee ever started to hurt after sitting for a period time? This may mean you have arthritis. Luckily, physical therapy can help eliminate the symptoms you experience with arthritis.
Arthritis:
Osteoarthritis: caused by the mechanical wearing away of the cartilage (cushion) between joints. Pain can be caused by frayed pieces of cartilage getting caught or from two boney surfaces being in greater contact with each other.
Read full blogDefining Osteoarthritis
You’ve probably heard the word ‘osteoarthritis’ but what exactly does it mean and what are the symptoms?
Osteoarthritis:
- Joint inflammation that causes pain and stiffness
- It is progressive
- There is no cure for arthritis. (You can’t reverse the damage)
- Wear and tear of cartilage is continuous and worsens over time.
- Treatment: “Motion is Lotion” (stretching and strengthening)
Osteoarthritis is caused by progressive degeneration and wearing down of your articular cartilage over time which means there is less cushioning between your joints.
Read full blogTips to Less Arthritis Pain
When it comes to relieving arthritis aches and pains, we may have more options than we realize. There is a lot that can be done to reduce our aches and pains from arthritis while gaining more mobility and function.
Arthritis pain and inflammation is what we help our patients day in and day out with. Patients often experience pain from arthritis because of stiff joints, muscles and other tissues. In addition, muscles become weak, therefore not supporting the arthritic joints.
Sore Hip & Getting Relief
What is hip pain?
The hip is comprised of the acetabulum- a ring shaped surface, and the head of the femur- a ball shaped structure. It’s where the leg attaches to the trunk. The hip has the functional ability to rotate out (external rotation), rotate in (internal rotation), move forward(flexion), move backward (extension), move toward the center of your body (adduction), and move out from the center of your body (abduction). Conditions named for the hip are those associated with pain during production of any of the above movements and/or pain located at your hip bone or inner thigh region with activity.
Why is it so confusing?
Read full blogIs a Joint Replacement my Only Option?
Total joint replacements are not uncommon in today’s medical field. While there are many paths to a joint replacement, the most common is with aging. Frequently these replacements occur when the joint has degenerated and arthritis has progressed to cause a person pain and difficulty with daily activities. In other words, normal aging! These replacements are very costly and require a long recovery time meaning a lot of time away from family and work. There are many ways to address degeneration that may help you prevent getting a joint replacement and avoid the long period of recovery.
Read full blogThe Why and Where of Arthritis
Pain due to arthritis is often chronic, and can cause very dull, achy and stiff feeling joints. Often times, the stiffness and achiness is worse after staying in one position for a prolonged period of time. For example:
- Sitting
- Sleeping
- Standing
Why does arthritis happen and where?
Arthritis commonly happens due to normal joint changes that occur from moving and being under gravity, but can also happen in people who have been sedentary.
Read full blogOsteoarthritis in the Knee
Osteoarthritis of the knee results from the breakdown of the cartilage (a protective tissue) that covers the end of the bones in the knee joint (femur and tibia). This breakdown of cartilage results in bone on bone (femur and tibia) contact which is the primary reason for pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Age, mechanical wear and genetics all contribute to this breakdown of cartilage over time. The treatment for osteoarthritis is especially important because without proper education, you can make it worse and rely too much on pain medication or walk yourself into surgery. 
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Pain in the knee joint (especially when you stand or bend the knee)
- Swelling (especially after standing for prolonged periods of time or after exercise)
- Stiffness/restricted range of motion (inability to bend or extend the knee without pain)
- Creaking or crackling sensation in the knee joint
- Weakness in the knee joint or surrounding muscles
Causes
- Overuse- age, excessive load on the knee with weight bearing exercises or repetitive movements
- Muscle imbalances or weaknesses- creating uneven stress on the bones in the knee joint
- Injury- trauma to the knee joint from contact or weight bearing rotation of the knee specifically the meniscus (a cushioning and protective structure that sits on the tibial surfaces both medially and laterally)
- Weight- excess weight or obesity
- Genetics- inherited abnormalities in the shape of the bones in the knee or biochemical factors such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Why is treatment so Important?
Read full blogOsteoarthritis VS Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is arthritis and who can get it?
Arthritis is actually not a single disease, but rather an informal way of referring to joint pain or inflammation. Two of the most prevalent types of arthritis are, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While arthritis is often associated with increased age, people of all ages, sexes, and lifestyles can develop arthritis.
Common Causes of Arthritis
The most common cause of arthritis is just the normal wear and tear we put on our joints throughout our lives, known as osteoarthritis. Any injury or illness to a joint can further exacerbate this natural breakdown of cartilage.
Read full blogThe Knee and Arthritis
Arthritis is a degenerative joint condition that occurs overtime. Our joints wear down over our lifetime, and the cartilage or cushioning layer on our bones disappears. When this layer is gone your bones begin to rub other bones. What you might not realize is that knee arthritis specifically, impacts every age group.
Knee Arthritis Symptoms:
- Pain and swelling inside the joint
- Stiffness not only in the joint but also in the surrounding muscles
- Loss of range of motion in your knees
- Bending and extending your knees becomes difficult
- Grinding and popping in your knee joint.
