Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoarthritis (OA) pain is very common and tends to affect most adults at some point in their lives. Flare ups can occur following trauma or often for no reason whatsoever. OA can affect any joint in the body but typically affects the hands, knees, hips and spine.
People may describe stiffness and pain. This may be associated with swelling and often people describe hearing noises within their joint. Mode Physiotherapy can carry out appropriate assessment to help diagnose your problem.
For more information about arthritis pain, click on the sections below.
Important symptoms to monitor
If you notice any of the below symptoms, you must seek medical attention urgently
- Significant swelling, heat and redness of the joint which may or may not cause you to feel unwell with fever symptoms.
- Significant inability to weight bear with no trauma.
Do I need a scan?
A scan or X-Ray is not required to diagnose Osteoarthritis. This is done through listening to your history and completing an assessment looking at your joint and how it moves.
Around 95% of scans will show normal age related changes (above the age of 30 years old) and coincidental findings which may not be related to your symptoms. Mode Physiotherapy can complete an assessment and will be able to determine if you require a scan.
NB If a scan is required, an x-ray tends to be more useful than a MRI at assessing the extent of OA changes in the joint.
Are there things I should avoid?
There is nothing that you should avoid when having arthritis pain, but you do need to listen to your symptoms and adjust your activities accordingly.
It is important to keep moving as much as possible. There may be some activities that are painful, but this doesnt mean that is it causing you any damage. One of our physiotherapists will be able to work with you to get you back doing the activities you enjoy.
Should I take pain relief?
It is important to discuss pain relief with your local pharmacist or GP. If your pain levels are better controlled, this will enable you to keep more active and by keeping active it will help to maintain your strength and movement. This approach could lead to a quicker recovery.
A physiotherapist will be able to advise if you need to discuss pain relief with your GP or Pharmacist.
How can Mode Physiotherapy help with my osteoarthritis?
At Mode Physiotherapy we have extensive experience in managing arthritis pain which can typically affect any part of your body. This includes being able to advise regarding when a scan or potential surgery may be required. We can also help with prehab and post rehabilitation following joint replacement surgery.
Mode Physiotherapy will be able to help diagnose the cause of your pain as well as provide advice and guidance on ways to manage it. Often this will include a combination of hands on treatment and a tailored rehabilitation programme.
