Struggling With Pain That Won’t Go Away?
Don’t let discomfort slow you down! Schedule your appointment today and take the first step toward lasting relief.
Take a Proactive Approach To Arthritis Pain With Physical Therapy
Have you recently learned that your persistent joint pain is the result of arthritis? For many, this can be a challenging discovery, as the most common forms of arthritis have no known cures. But rest assured that you do not have to spend your life living with debilitating joint pain — physical therapy can help!
Arthritis refers to several conditions that cause joint inflammation, leading to its two primary symptoms: pain and mobility restriction. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, can cause pain during movement. It’s no surprise, then, that many people with arthritis wind up avoiding physical activity.
In reality, regular physical activity is one of the best ways to manage arthritis pain. Physical activity can also help delay the progression of arthritis — and help you avoid surgery.
As movement experts, the team at TherapyWorks & Vibrant Health Solutions is well-equipped to help you manage your arthritis pain. The physical therapy approach to arthritis management focuses on drug-free pain relief and regular movement. Best of all, it allows you to take a proactive role in your treatment.
Let’s look at what happens when you exercise regularly with arthritis — and what happens when you don’t. And if you’d like to learn more, call us to schedule an appointment today!
Got Arthritis? What To Expect If You Skip Regular Exercise
- Your muscles will weaken: One of the big benefits of exercise is that it builds muscle mass. If you don’t exercise regularly, your muscle mass will decrease — especially if you’re older, as muscle mass naturally decreases as we age.
What does this mean if you have arthritis? Without strong muscles, your impacted joints don’t get the strength and stability they need to function, which puts even more stress on them — and means more pain in the long run.
- Your joints will get stiffer: Our bodies are made to move, and when we don’t move them frequently enough, our joints don’t get the lubrication they need to run properly. This is as true for people with arthritis as it is for anyone else. Plus, since arthritis causes joint stiffness, not moving will only worsen your symptoms.
- You increase your risk of injury: When you don’t exercise, you start to lose everyday abilities like balance, stability, and coordination. You can also develop muscular imbalances, improper biomechanics, or postural issues, all of which increase your odds of suffering an injury.
What Happens When You Do Exercise With Arthritis
- You’ll experience less pain: While it’s true that activity can initially worsen arthritis pain, regular exercise will decrease your pain symptoms over time.
- You’ll experience fewer mobility restrictions: Just as regular exercise can decrease pain, it will also help improve your range of motion — meaning you can move more easily.
- The progression of your arthritis may slow: Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis — the two most common forms of arthritis — will gradually worsen over time and may eventually require you to undergo surgery. Exercising won’t cure arthritis, but it will slow the damage to your joints.
- You may feel more empowered: Living with a chronic condition is hard. Regular exercise can help you feel like you’re taking an active role in managing your condition and reducing your pain.
- You’ll experience other physical and mental benefits: Exercise offers many benefits beyond pain management. It can improve mood and quality of sleep, protect you from heart disease and diabetes, and help you stay active and independent well into old age.
Ready To Start Exercising? TherapyWorks & Vibrant Health Solutions Can Help!
While the benefits of regular exercise for arthritis are undeniable, getting started can be challenging. Which movements are safe for you to perform? Which will provide you with the most benefits? What should you do if even simple movement is too painful?
This is where our physical therapists shine! We’ll create a customized arthritis treatment plan that speaks to your needs and abilities. Here’s a taste of all that we can offer:
- Acute pain management using manual techniques and pain relieving modalities
- Personalized exercise programs with targeted, progressive exercises that build strength and improve mobility
- Specialized exercise programs to address balance and other functional challenges
- Guidance on general exercise programs to keep you moving outside our clinic
Don’t let arthritis keep you from living an active, healthy lifestyle. Call us today to find out more about our arthritis treatment programs!
Sources: https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-rheumatoid-arthritis, https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-osteoarthritis
We’ve Moved!
We’re excited to share some big news. Our clinic has officially moved into an upgraded space! You can now find us at:
4931 W 6th Street, Ste 116, Lawrence, KS
Thank you for your patience as we made this transition. We’re getting settled into our new location and couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you here. Whether you’re a new, present, or returning patient, we can’t wait to see you in the new space!
FREE Workshop
Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Webinar
July 8th
Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Webinar • 6:30
With Cindy Johnson, M.S. P.T., MCMT, Owner/Director
FREE Workshop
Back Pain and Sciatica Webinar
July 23rd
Back Pain and Sciatica Webinar • 6:30
With Cindy Johnson, M.S. P.T., MCMT, Owner/Director
Patient Success Stories
At Vibrant Health Solutions/TherapyWorks, we want to help everyone get active in the ways that work for them. Call us today for personalized guidance on what will work best for you!
Healthy Recipe
Potato Rosti
This is a recipe for truly crispy Potato Rosti that’s beautifully golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The secret is pan frying in the right fat!
Ingredients:
- 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt, kosher/cooking salt
- 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp clarified butter / ghee or normal butter, melted
Cooking:
- 4 tbsp clarified butter / ghee, separated
Instructions:
Grate & squeeze:
- Peel then grate the potatoes using a box grater, trying to get nice long strands if you can.
- Grab handfuls of potato and squeeze out excess liquid, then place in bowl. This helps make the potato crispier (otherwise all that water has to steam out in the pan).
- Add butter, salt and pepper then toss. Don’t worry if your potatoes go brown/reddy – it’s still safe to eat, and turns white again when cooked.
Cook
- Melt half the clarified butter in a 26cm / 10.5″ (or thereabouts) non-stick pan or skillet over medium low heat. Shallow non-stick pan with sloped sides is best for easy rosti removal.
- Place the potato in pan, but do not pack down. Use rubber spatula to tidy the edges, then lightly pat down to even surface.
- Cook first side: Cook 12 minutes until underside is very golden and crispy, lifting edge with rubber spatula to check. If by 8 minutes it is not going golden, increase heat.
- TIP: Insurance policy – If you didn’t use a non stick pan, slide the rubber spatula underneath all the way to the middle and run it around, to be 100% sure nothing is stuck before attempting flip.
- Flip: Cover pan with a round wooden board with a handle. Holding the handle of the board, flip quickly – and with confidence!
- Cook second side: Melt remaining clarified butter in the pan, then slide the rosti back in and cook for 12 minutes until golden crispy, and there is no resistance when a knife is inserted into the middle.
- Slide onto cutting board, cut into 4 or 6 wedges and serve immediately!
Small rosti
- Use 25g / 1 1/2 tbsp clarified butter for each batch, medium heat in a non stick pan. Place potato in rounds in a skillet, around 8cm / 3″ wide, 1.5 – 2cm / 2/3″ thick (without patting down). Cook 5 minutes until deep golden and crispy, flip, and cook another 5 minutes until done.
To hold / keep warm
- Transfer to rack set over tray in a 120°C/250°F oven until ready to serve.
Exercise of the Month
Prone Arm Reach Back
(Shoulders, Rear Delts)
Lie face down on an exercise table with your upper chest supported and both arms hanging straight down off the sides, holding a light weight in each hand. With palms facing in, slowly raise your arms backward toward your hips in a sweeping motion, keeping them close to your body. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower your arms back down with control. 3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: exercise table, light weights)
