Five Ways to Manage Arthritis Pain — Without Surgery
Donna is one of the 53.2 million Americans living with arthritis. Until recently, she was also one of the many arthritis patients who weren’t physically active due to their symptoms. The persistent pain in her knee kept her from hobbies she’d always enjoyed, but now she loves to garden and explore local walking trails with her friends. And she didn’t even have to undergo surgery!
What changed? The answer is simple: Donna visited the team at Priority Physical Therapy. We helped her understand her condition, including the fact that staying sedentary was making her symptoms worse. We also created a customized treatment plan to help her manage her pain, get active, and get back to the life she wanted to live.
Whether you’re living with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another inflammatory joint condition, we’ll work hard to find a solution that meets your needs. All you need to do to get started is call to schedule an appointment.
In the meantime, check out these five suggestions for managing arthritis pain from our physical therapists.
How to Manage Arthritis Symptoms (Without Drugs or Surgery)
Arthritis symptoms can interfere with your ability to stay active and enjoy daily life, but there are many effective ways to manage discomfort without relying solely on medication or surgery.
Making healthy lifestyle choices, staying active, and working with a physical therapist can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and keep you doing the things you love.
Five Ways to Manage Arthritis Symptoms
These simple lifestyle habits can help reduce arthritis pain, improve mobility, and support long-term joint health.
Stay Active
Getting enough exercise is one of the best things you can do to manage your arthritis symptoms. If you have osteoarthritis, this might be a surprise since OA pains often occur when you move the joint. Fortunately, our physical therapists can help you find low-impact exercises that won’t put extra pressure on your joints.
But Don't Forget to Rest
While physical activity is crucial in managing arthritis, you need to be careful not to overdo things. Striking a balance between more intense activities (like weightlifting) and periods of active recovery (like walking) will help keep your joints happy.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Swapping out ultra-processed foods for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help control the inflammation that contributes to arthritis symptoms.
Find a Pain Management Strategy
You don’t have to depend on pain medication to manage your symptoms. Self-massage techniques, hot and cold therapy, and gentle stretches can all help reduce pain levels. Our therapists can provide suggestions!
Get Organized
To maximize your treatment from our physical therapists, keep careful track of your symptoms. When do you feel pain? Where do you feel pain? Do you have any mobility restrictions? How would you describe your pain level? This information will help us create the best possible treatment plan for your needs.
But Don't Forget to Visit Priority Physical Therapy, Either!
As musculoskeletal experts, our team of physical therapists can give you the expert guidance you need to address your arthritis symptoms. We offer two main benefits: additional pain management techniques and customized, guided exercise programs.
How We Help Manage Pain
In addition to showing you self-management options, we offer several pain management approaches in our clinic.
Manual therapy techniques, such as joint mobilizations or soft tissue manipulation, help reduce pain, promote blood circulation, and improve mobility restrictions. We often kick off sessions with a round of manual therapy to help prepare your body for exercise.
Depending on your needs, we might also suggest other pain-relieving modalities, such as ultrasound therapy or electrical stimulation.
How We Help You Exercise Smarter
When managing arthritis pain, pretty much any low-impact exercise will do wonders. However, targeted exercise also plays an important role in addressing pain.
For example, mobility exercises will help improve your joint’s range of motion, making movement easier overall. Targeted strength training focuses on improving the strength of the muscles surrounding your impacted joint, which helps support and stabilize it, helping to minimize pain.
We can also help you get started with a general exercise program. If you’ve been inactive for a while, starting slowly is essential to avoiding injury. We can provide suggested exercises and durations based on your health history and activity level.
Call Us Today
No matter your specific needs, Priority Physical Therapy is here to help you manage your arthritis symptoms. From personalized guidance to targeted exercise programs, we’ll find solutions that work for you. Call us to schedule your initial consultation.
Supporting Athletes All Fall Long
Priority PT is proud to support our local student-athletes and community by providing free athletic event coverage at home varsity events throughout the season.
Our therapists will be on-site throughout the season to provide support at home varsity events for tennis, cross country, softball, and football. For varsity football, our team will be present at every game through the end of October, ensuring athletes have consistent access to support throughout the season.
Providing this service is one of the ways we enjoy giving back to the community we serve. Athletic events bring together students, families, coaches, and community members, and we’re proud to be there alongside them.
On-Site Professional Support
Having a therapist present at athletic events provides student-athletes with access to an experienced healthcare professional when they need support. Whether it’s helping an athlete address an issue during competition or providing guidance when something doesn’t feel quite right, our goal is to help athletes participate safely and confidently.
Support Beyond the Clinic
We believe supporting athletes goes beyond the walls of our clinic. Being present in the community, supporting local teams, and helping student-athletes pursue the sports they love are all part of what we do.
Ready for a Great Season
We look forward to another great season and to cheering on our local athletes throughout the year!
Recipe of the Month: Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
This quick and flavorful chicken dinner combines tender chicken breasts with artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes, and sun-dried tomato pesto. It's packed with lean protein and Mediterranean-inspired ingredients for a wholesome weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered
Directions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove from the pan.
- Pour the diced tomatoes into the skillet and cook for about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and artichoke hearts.
- Return the chicken to the skillet.
- Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 5–10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Serve warm over pasta, rice, or alongside your favorite vegetables.
Share Your Success!
The best way to help a small business in the community is by leaving a Google review! We want to help more people. Share your great experience with Priority Physical Therapy and help us heal our neighbors.
Sources
- https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/pain-relief-solutions/natural-relief-for-arthritis-pain,
- https://www.physio-pedia.com/Arthritis,
- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/84590/artichoke-and-sun-dried-tomato-chicken/
- https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/national-statistics.html
