Arthritis can lead to joint weakness, instability, and visible deformities that, depending on the location of joint involvement can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, cutting your food, or brushing your teeth.
And it’s not just a disease of old age. Two-thirds of people with arthritis are under the age of 65. According to the Arthritis Foundation, an estimated 50 million adults and 300,000 children are impacted by arthritis in the U.S.
Read on to learn more about arthritis and your treatment options.
P.S. Always consult a healthcare provider before trying new exercises.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis affects your joints – where two or more bones meet. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tough, smooth tissue that covers the ends of the bones, enabling them to glide against one another).
Symptoms
The major complaint by people who have arthritis is joint pain and stiffness. Pain is often constant and may be localized to the affected joint.
Exercises
Try this standing stretch.
Try this seated stretch.
Try this exercise with putty.
How we can help
Getting you back to normal as soon as possible is our number one goal. To do that, we will likely recommend one or more of the following:
– Joint manipulation to decrease your pain, limit inflammation, and ease muscle spasm.
– Therapeutic stretching to restore your flexibility and ease pain.
