Arthritis exists in many forms and effects a huge number of people in different ways. It is suspected that around 15% of the Australian population has symptomatic arthritis, and a large number more have non-symptomatic arthritis.
The 3 most common types of arthritis in Australia are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Everyday we learn more and more about these and how they affect peoples lives. We also learn new ways of approaching management and techniques for treating them long term.
In recent years, our research has shown us that people can have severe arthritis and not get any symptoms from it!
This research can be found here https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/20/1268
This is huge news! This means that arthritis by itself isn't responsible for all of the pain people experience, and in the majority of cases, we can work with you to manage this condition without the need for invasive, structural-based surgeries.
Did you know that recent findings have shown that structured, physio-led exercise programs specific for knee arthritis, have had a significant reduction in pain, need for surgery and increased ability to do daily tasks without pain?
A good link to view is found here https://gladaustralia.com.au/
So if we know that arthritis can exist without pain, and we also know that those with pain can benefit significantly from a structured, physio-led program, this leads us to point more people towards scientific, sophisticated non-surgical intervention as the first point of call.
How do we go about this?
Having a good, thorough assessment with an experienced physiotherapist is important. This will give you a starting point and an idea of the expected time frame for change, and options available for treatment.
Your physiotherapist will prescribe a program specific to you and the areas identified in your assessment. You will be given a program to get started at home with emphasis on specific points of weakness or stiffness.
You will likely need to return for ongoing assessment and treatment. However, as things improve, your treatment will become more and more independent.
As you get better and better, your exercises will become harder and more functional, and you will need less contact time with our Physiotherapists
In addition, we can also show you how to use our custom-built gym to move towards an independent program long-term, with discussion and exploration of ways to move towards an overall healthier you.
We also have an Exercise Physiologist on staff who is able to take you through gym based programming when you are ready and supervise your exercise sessions if you would like more guidance.
Lastly, don't be discouraged if you feel like you are progressing slowly. Everyone starts at a different place, and progresses at different rates.
Your physiotherapist and exercise physiologist will be happy to discuss concerns with you as they come up!
If you have arthritis and would like to get started on some new management strategies for it, give us a call on 93068222 to book an appointment.
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