Arthritis causes pain and stiffness in the joints, which affects your daily life and prevents you from enjoying some of your favorite activities. There is no cure for arthritis, but treatments can help to reduce the pain and improve your range of motion.
You should always visit a professional for treatment when you have arthritis, but there are also some steps you can take on your own initiative to help with arthritis pain.
What steps are good for you if you have arthritis pain?
- Exercise — Stiff and weak muscles increase pressure on your joints. This can lead to an increase of pain in the joints affected by arthritis. Stiff and weak muscles also limit your range of motion.You should try some gentle exercises to help improve your strength and flexibility if you have arthritis. If you have any questions or concerns about which exercises are safe for you, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist.
- Good posture — Poor posture increases pressure on the joints, which leads to further pain. Do you slouch when you stand or sit? Do you sleep on your front side or in another awkward position?Focus on standing and sitting with your back and neck straight to help reduce pressure off the spine. Sleep on your side or back and try to keep your spine in a straight line to reduce pressure.
- Healthy diet — Improving your diet can help you lose weight, which reduces some pressure off of the joints. A healthy diet includes lean proteins, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. Your body can use all of these to help support the joints.
- Quitting smoking — Smoking constricts your blood flow. This inhibits the ability for your joints to receive a healthy amount of nutrients and oxygen, which can increase pain and stiffness caused by arthritis.
Visit SOL Physical Therapy + Performance in Oakland, CA, today for arthritis treatment
Is arthritis causing pain and stiffness to interrupt your daily life? Our physical therapists at SOL Physical Therapy + Performance specialize in many treatments that can help reduce arthritic pain and improve your range of motion.
All of our treatments are natural and focus on empowering your body’s own resources to fight arthritis. This can help reduce your dependency on drugs and surgery for arthritis treatment. Contact our team today for more information about arthritis or to schedule an initial appointment.
