Take a Proactive Approach to Arthritis Pain with Physiotherapy
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 — physiotherapy 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 South Sherbrook Therapy is well-equipped to help you manage your arthritis pain. The physiotherapy 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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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? South Sherbrook Therapy 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 physiotherapists 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!
Get Moving Again with Physiotherapy!
At South Sherbrook Therapy, we’re committed to helping you feel your best—whether you’ve been here before or it’s been a while! If you’re experiencing pain, discomfort, or simply want to get back to doing what you love, now is the perfect time to return. Book your physiotherapy appointment today and let us help you continue your journey to better health and wellness!
“My experience at South Sherbrook Therapy was excellent as it was very sanitary, courteous staff and exceptional service.“
-MK.
Garlic Parmesan-Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 15 mushrooms
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
- ½ tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tbsp black pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F (180°C). Cut the stems off of each of the mushrooms and finely chop them, setting the mushroom caps aside for later. Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the chopped stems with the garlic, salt, and pepper for about six to eight minutes, constantly stirring. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, combine cooked stems, cream cheese, breadcrumbs, half of the parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper, mixing until evenly combined. Space out the mushroom caps evenly on a baking sheet, upside down. Spoon a generous amount of the cream cheese mixture on top of each mushroom. Top each mushroom with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley, then serve!
Smash Your New Year’s Resolutions with Physiotherapy!
It’s goal-setting season! As you spend time thinking about the healthy changes you want to make in 2025, don’t forget South Sherbrook Therapy. Our team of experts can do a lot more than help you recover after injury—and one thing we love to do is provide our patients with the guidance and tools they need to smash any health-related New Year’s resolutions.
As movement experts, we offer a range of support to help you work toward better health and wellness in the new year. From physical assessments to pain management to customized fitness programs, we’ll help you keep your New Year’s resolutions all year long.
Call us today to get started!
New Year, New You: What We Can Do
There are many different ways our team can help you achieve your health, wellness, and fitness goals this year. We can…
✅ Conduct a comprehensive assessment to identify specific areas of weakness, impairment, or dysfunction, so you know exactly where to focus your efforts.
✅ Work with you to resolve or manage persistent pain, mobility restrictions, or chronic conditions that might be holding you back from achieving your goals, such as:
- Balance or gait issues
- Chronic pain
- Arthritis
- Underlying or unresolved injuries
✅ Help you develop a personalized exercise program that addresses your unique goals, interests, and abilities.
✅ Provide nutritional counseling through our on-site nutritionist to help you make better dietary choices that support your overall health and fitness goals.
✅ Offer general health and wellness advice, including stress reduction techniques, to keep you feeling your best.
✅ Provide structure and support so you don’t bite off more than you can chew (and become frustrated in the process).
A Little Help Goes a Long Way
At this point, everyone knows that most New Year’s resolutions fizzle out by Valentine’s Day. A major reason for this is that many people try to make major changes without any kind of guidance or support.
The team at South Sherbrook Therapy can provide that support. We’ll help you know what goals would benefit you the most and ensure you’re following a progressive program that adds a little bit at a time. Plus, with our nutritionist on board, you’ll receive expert advice to fuel your body for success.
We’ll track your progress and cheer you on as you hit key milestones. 2025 is going to be a great year—especially with a bit of help from South Sherbrook Therapy.
Call us today to get started!
