Osteoarthritis - How Can Physiotherapy Tackle It?

Osteoarthritis (OA) occurs due to maturing joints, damage, and over-weight. OA indications include joint pain along with stiffness. Treatment relies upon an influenced joint, such as the hand, wrist, neck, back, knee, and hip, and includes exercise and work out. In case you are overweight, weight reduction may help get rid of OA side-effects.

Many people with osteoarthritis start with simple stretching exercises such as low-affect heart stimulating exercises and muscle building. People with arthritis can take part in a range of specific games and programs. The specialist will let you know in case there are any games, which are beyond your capacity. Here are some of the exercises that have proven to be helpful:

• Hamstring stretch
Stretching keeps you flexible and enhances your scope of movement, or how far you can move your joints to specific angles. It additionally helps you bring down your chances of injury and pain. Start with a warm-up of a five-minute walk. Rest after stretching your hamstring. Circle a bed sheet around your right foot. Utilise the sheet to pull the straight leg up. Hold for 20 seconds, then lower the leg. Repeat twice and at that point, switch legs.

• Calf stretch
Take the support of a chair for balance. Twist your right leg. Bend back with your left leg, and gradually fix it behind yourself. Press your left heel on the floor. You need to feel the stretch in the calf of your back leg. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat twice and then switch legs.

• Quad stretch
If a straight leg raise is extensively painful for you, opt for the quad stretch. In this, you do not raise your leg. Fix the thigh muscles, also known as the quadriceps, of one leg at once. Begin by lying on the floor. Keep both legs loose on the ground. Flex and hold the left leg tense for five seconds and then relax. Do two sets of 10 repetitions. Switch legs after every set.

• Hip march
Tighten your hips and thigh muscles. It can help you with your everyday exercises like walking or simply standing up. Sit up straight on a chair. Kick your left foot back, yet keep your toes on the floor. With your knee bowed, lift your right foot off the floor. Hold the right leg in the air for around three seconds. Gradually lower your foot to the ground. Do two sets of 10 repetitions. Switch legs after every set.

• Cushion squeeze
This exercise strengthens your legs to help support your knees. Lie on your back with both knees bent. Put a pad between the knees. Crush your knees together, squishing the cushion between them. Hold for five seconds and then relax. Do two sets of 10 repetitions. Switch legs after every set.

Preventive Measures

1. People with endocrine disorders are prone to osteoarthritis. This includes hypothyroidism. You must immediately begin medications if you are diagnosed with thyroid conditions.
2. In several cases, osteoporosis is genetic. One may inherit a tendency to develop bone deformities as he/she ages.
3. X-ray after regular intervals helps the doctors to understand the condition of your bones and joints. This helps to prescribe exercises, medications and diet accordingly.
4. Yoga helps to maintain joint flexibility and increase bone strength. It also helps to prevent stress and anxiety.
5. A diet rich in protein and calcium helps to prevent degeneration and brittleness in bones. It is important to go out into the sun once in a while and soak up as much vitamin D as possible. This is a very healthy habit and contributes to the well-being of the entire skeletal systems.