Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Role of Physical Therapy

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that can significantly disrupt daily life. The typical symptoms include pain, swelling, and joint stiffness, making even minor daily tasks painful. Thankfully, there is a tool you can use to reduce rheumatoid arthritis pain and symptoms. Physical therapy near me provides targeted exercises and strategies to alleviate symptoms of RA, improve mobility, and boost your overall quality of life.

The Benefits of Physical Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

A physical therapist San Antonio can create an individualized program to benefit you and reduce your symptoms. An average PT program focuses on pain management and improved strength and flexibility. A therapist may use soft tissue massage and joint mobilization techniques to reduce pain and swelling. They can also offer guidance on using heat and cold therapy for the best results.

Depending on how arthritis affects you, a therapist will also offer tailored exercises to strengthen muscles that support the most affected joints. The exercises will include stretches to maintain or improve joint range of motion.

A therapist can also help you develop strategies for daily tasks. By adapting tasks, you can protect your joints and reduce the likelihood of injury. Some adaptive techniques may require the adoption of assistive devices.

Elevating Your Quality of Life at Home

Consistency is vital to the success of any physical therapy program. To ensure consistency, your physical therapist will likely prescribe several exercises for a home exercise program. The exercises likely focus on gentle movements and proper form. They are not optional. The effectiveness of your therapy program depends on your commitment to home workouts.

That said, you want to be careful with home exercises. Pace yourself and know your limits. Some people get overzealous and want to speed up the recovery or pain relief process, so they over-commit to daily exercises, straining their muscles and increasing the likelihood of injury.

While commitment to a home exercise program is important, stick to the recommendation of your physical therapist. Don’t push yourself too much. If you experience pain or you feel like the routine is too easy, talk to your therapist before changing it.

Leveraging the Expertise of a Physical Therapist for Symptom Relief

Physical therapy Kyle, TX, offers individualized treatment plans. Each patient undergoes a thorough assessment to identify special needs and goals. The exercise plans and therapies are adjusted based on individual pain levels and disease activity.

Therapists offer more than exercise guidance. They also provide support and education to ensure that patients understand why their program uses the techniques and exercises it does. Therapists also perform regular re-evaluations to determine the effectiveness of the current program and make any necessary changes.

Trust your therapist. While progress might seem slow-going, your therapist is a qualified medical professional with experience. They know what they are doing.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis and would like some support for symptom reduction and pain relief, reach out to a local physical therapy practice and schedule an assessment. A professional will identify exercises and help you pinpoint goals for your specific program.