Find Relief from Osteoarthritis Pain
Are you experiencing persistent joint pain, particularly in a weight-bearing joint like your hip or knee? Do you ever notice a clicking or grinding sensation in your painful joint? If so, you may have developed osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis in the United States.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation and lead to pain and restricted mobility. The source of that inflammation will vary depending on the type of arthritis. In osteoarthritis, it’s caused by degeneration of the cartilage and bone tissue in the affected joint.
Osteoarthritis has no cure and can profoundly impact your overall quality of life, making it harder for you to stay active, keep up with chores, and enjoy time with your loved ones. Fortunately, physical therapy at Ellis Physical Therapy offers several tools and techniques to help you manage your symptoms — often enough that you can delay or even avoid surgical interventions.
If you’re tired of living with osteoarthritis pain, call us to schedule an appointment today!
Our Patients Get Great Results
“Dr. Jason Bailey worked on me and knew exactly how to relieve my pain. I’ve had chronic muscle pain right around my shoulder blade for years and have never had great luck in relieving it. I’ve tried several solutions but only ever seen temporary results. Massaging feels good in the moment but the pain returns.
When I saw Dr. Bailey, he took a look at my shoulder and knew exactly where the pain was. He could pinpoint it on the first try. I constantly ask my wife to massage it and she can never even find the painful spots consistently. I can’t believe Dr. Bailey was able to know right away what was causing the pain.
He recommended dry needling. I was hesitant at first because it was new to me and I was in disbelief that it would do anything.
He took the time to explain to me the benefits of dry needling, and how it will restart those muscle groups that are locked up and not receiving adequate blood flow. I conceded and he stuck me with a few needles. They weren’t painful in the least. Like not even a prick. I’ve hurt worse getting a haircut!
He knew exactly where to stick the needles, and he’d even tell me as he’s doing it that I’ll feel this one more or that one less, etc. I don’t even know how he knew, but he was spot on.
I’m a big fan of his and of the dry needling process. I highly recommend you pay him a visit and get yourself the pain relief your body needs!“
– J.M.
Exercise of the Month
Simple Meditation
- Sit upright comfortably. Gently close your eyes.
- Breathe deeply. Slowly scan your body, and notice any sensations.
- Be aware of any thoughts you are having. When your mind wanders, focus on your breath.
- Gently open your eyes when you are ready.
Understanding Osteoarthritis: Symptoms and Causes
The primary symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in the affected joint. These symptoms often manifest in the following ways:
- Noises in the joint, including creaking, cracking, or crunching
- Pain during activity but not while at rest
- Pain when you press on the joint
- Joint stiffness first thing in the morning
- Joint stiffness after sitting or lying down for long periods
While any joint can develop osteoarthritis, it most commonly occurs in weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. However, it’s also fairly common in the hands, spine, and feet.
The causes of osteoarthritis are complex, and several factors can contribute to it. One of these factors is age: approximately 73% of people with the condition are 55 years or older. That’s not to say osteoarthritis is an inevitable part of the aging process — plenty of older people don’t have it. But your chances of developing it do increase as you age.
Other possible factors contributing to osteoarthritis include past injuries to the joint, gender (women are more likely to develop it than men), body weight, and even genetic predispositions.
How Physical Therapy Helps Manage Osteoarthritis Symptoms
The good news is that you can control osteoarthritis symptoms with the help of physical therapy. Although movement can be painful with osteoarthritis, exercise is one of the best drug-free ways to manage the condition. Our physical therapists will help you find an exercise program that suits your needs.
Here’s how we’ll do it:
- Comprehensive Evaluation: We start by evaluating how osteoarthritis impacts you, including performing simple tests to assess your strength, mobility, and/or balance. We’ll also ask you about the ways that osteoarthritis is negatively affecting your life. For example, which activities do you find challenging?
- Provide Pain Relief: We’ll use manual therapy techniques to help manage your pain and get the joint moving in a gentle way. For example, we might guide the joint through its current range of motion or manipulate the surrounding soft tissue.
- Build Strength and Restore Mobility: We’ll develop a customized, progressive exercise program to rebuild lost strength and mobility in the affected joint. Building strength, in particular, can help support and protect the joint so you can move more easily.
- Develop An At-Home Exercise Program: You’ll supplement your sessions in our clinic with a personalized home workout program to ensure you keep moving! We’ll find something that suits your abilities and interests, such as a walking program or water aerobics.
- Provide Strategies for Activity Modifications: Finally, we can help you identify and avoid any specific activities that might put too much strain on your joints. If needed, we can also show you how to use mobility aids (such as canes or walkers).
Don’t Let Osteoarthritis Pain Hold You Back!
We know that living with osteoarthritis can be difficult, but the physical therapists at Ellis Physical Therapy are here to help you manage your condition and live your life to the fullest. With customized treatment plans, targeted exercise programs, and acute pain management techniques, physical therapy can help you take control of osteoarthritis pain.
Ready to get started? Call us to schedule your initial consultation today!
Grilled Eggplant with Feta
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 large garlic clove, or 2 small cloves, pressed or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
Directions:
-
Preheat the grill to high.
-
Trim the ends off of the eggplant and cut it crosswise into 12 1/2-inch thick slices. Season just the tops of the slices lightly with salt.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, dried oregano, garlic, and salt.
-
Lay the eggplant slices on the grill with the salted side up. Grill, uncovered, for 5 minutes, then flip.
-
Spoon or brush all of the garlic-herb mixture over the tops, sprinkle evenly with the feta, then cover the grill and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes more.
-
Transfer the grilled eggplant to a serving platter and serve hot or warm.
