Physiotherapists have lots of knowledge in the area of arthritis and can help patients experiencing the pain and disability that can occur. There are a wide variety of arthritic conditions that can affect the joints and other tissues of the body.

Osteoarthritis (“OA”) or degenerative joint disease is a normal process in aging but affects some people much more severely than others because of genetics, injury, etc. When severe, movement can be greatly limited and pain can make it hard to get around. People with severe cases of knee or hip OA may be referred for joint replacement surgery.

There are also many types of Inflammatory arthritis: conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis,etc. The management of these conditions is slightly different from managing OA and will be more geared at controlling inflammation, maintaining healthy joints, and optimizing function. If you have arthritis affecting your hands, you may want to check out our article about hand positioning and preserving the joints of the hands. (Protecting Your Hands).

Many people lead active, healthy lifestyles despite having arthritis. You can find more information about arthritis and its management at the ARTHRITIS SOCIETY OF CANADA (https://arthritis.ca/ )