Think there’s nothing you can do about arthritis? Great news! You can act right now. Some of the ideas here are simple, one-time actions. Others are first steps toward longer-term goals. All can directly or indirectly improve your health, outlook or pain level, and can generally make life with arthritis a little easier.
• Pay attention to symptoms, see your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis
• Start early -- The earlier an accurate diagnosis is made and treatment started, the better.
Protect your joints -- Avoid excess stress on your joints.
• Get moving -- Exercise helps lessen pain, increases range of movement, reduces fatigue
and helps you feel better overall. A well-rounded workout routine for people with arthritis includes flexibility exercises to increase range of motion, aerobic exercises to improve endurance and decrease fatigue, and strengthening exercises to improve muscle fitness. Your doctor, a physical therapist, or other specially trained health professionals can show you range-of-motion exercises and strengthening exercises that are good for arthritis.
• Pick, pour or peel – Recent research has shown the importance of vitamin C and other antioxidants in reducing the risk of osteoarthritis and its progression.
• Play it safe in the sun – Protect yourself when you go out into the sun — wear sunglasses, a hat and sun screen.
• Resolve to reduce – Lose weight. You won’t just look better, you’ll feel better, too.
• Bone up – Stock up on your favorite source of calcium.
• Begin with breakfast – Like you’ve always heard, a healthful breakfast is a great way to start the day.
• Try this on for size -- A well padded, well-fitting shoe with plenty of room for your toes can make a world of difference in the way your feet feel.
• Take a hike -- Choose your favorite spots (indoors and out) and make plans to walk them at least once a week.
• Sit, soak and soothe – A warm bath before bed can relieve muscle tension, ease aching joints and help you get a good night’s sleep.
• Treat your muscles – Find a certified massage therapist and treat yourself to a good rub down.
• Stretch your legs, arms, body -- Stretching is a simple way to keep joints and muscles flexible. It relieves stress and can help enable you to maintain your daily activities.
• Take the plunge – Exercising in the water can build strength and increase range of motion, while the water’s buoyancy reduces wear and tear on sore joints.
• Make an ice pack -- When joints are hot and inflamed, applying something cold can decrease pain and swelling by constricting blood vessels and preventing fluids from leaking into surrounding tissues.
• Enjoy Your Exercise -- Take the work out of working out. Sign up for a class that makes exercise fun

For more information about treating arthritis, please visit the arthritis.org website. Excerpts from arthritis.org collected by licensed Physical Therapist David E. Larson, MSPT

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease involving the joints, especially those bearing weight.  It leads to impaired function due to destruction of articular cartilage, and overgrowth of bone with possible spur formation.  Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis with inflammation of the joints, stiffness, swelling, cartilaginous hypertrophy, and pain.

                 Aquatic physical therapy is an optimal setting for treating these diagnoses, due to the reduction in weight bearing during the exercise.  Buoyancy reduces loading across joints affected by pain and allows the performance of functional closed-chain exercises that otherwise may be too difficult on land. Water turbulence can be used as a method of increasing resistance, and percentage of body weight one bears across the lower limbs can be decreased or progressed in proportion to the depth of immersion.  The reduction in gravitational pull on all joints including the spine, promotes improved posture and spinal extension. While moving in the water there is a promotion of joint lubrication which decreases joint stiffness and pain.  Exercise in an aquatic setting also increases proprioceptive awareness during exercise and functional task motion.  Because of the supportive effect of the water, there is an increase in amount of time to recover loss of balance and promote recovery.

                 Tools used in the aquatic setting include aqua belts, water dumbbells, resistive paddles, and gloves.  Depending on the needs of the patient, resistance is used, or buoyancy is added.  Speed of activity also plays the role of an aquatic tool.  Adding speed to specific motions, adds resistance. 

                 Aquatic physical therapy can also assist in the treatment of other diagnoses.  The unique properties of the aquatic environment enhance interventions for patients across the age span with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary, and integumentary diseases, disorders, or conditions.

                 Patients with rheumatologic problems do have other options in treatment, but bringing aquatic physical therapy to your doctor’s attention may lead to the attainment of otherwise unmet goals.  By exercising in the water with a skilled physical therapist, a patient may finally be able to find a pain free form of cardiopulmonary fitness. Many people with RA and OA struggle to find a way to loose weight and improve health that does not flare up their joint pain.  By working regularly with a physical therapist, a patient my attain gains in flexibility, strength, fine motor skills, and posture.  Other goals may also include improvement in gait parameters, ability to perform ADL’s, and work tolerance.  

          If you have any questions regarding Aquatic Physical Therapy please contact Joint Ventures Physical Therapy.

 

Achilles Tendon Dysfunction  
Achilles tendon dysfunction is characterized as pain located along the heel cord (Achilles tendon) or pain located at on the heel (calcaneus) of the foot. Pain is typically worse in the morning and is usually accompanied by stiffness of the heel cord (achilles tendon). The achilles tendon is one of the largest and strongest tendons in the body.  It consists of the gastrocnemius, plantaris, and soleus muscle which come together and attach at the heel of the foot (calcaneus).  The primary function of the achilles tendon is to transfer strength and power into the calf to assist the lower leg in activities such as walking and running.

Causes
Achilles Tendon Dysfunction is caused by soft tissue irritation of the achilles tendon. This can happen for a number of reasons including repetitive movements, a recent increase in activity level, postural problems such as over pronation of the foot, running, and a tight gastrocnemius.  Certain motions of the foot done repetitively during sporting activities can also contribute to an irritation of the achilles tendon. Sporting activities with short, sharp, quick, bursts of movements in a variety of directions such as basketball, tennis, soccer and volleyball may increase your risk of developing achilles tendon dysfunction.  Other risks for developing achilles tendon dysfunction include a recent increase in activity level, running, change of shoes with less support, exercise routine that includes running hills and/or stairs and squatting.

 Physical Therapy
A physical therapist can diagnose and treat achilles tendon dysfunction. He/She will evaluate the biomechanics of the lower leg/foot, range of motion, strength of surrounding muscles and any postural problems. Treatments may include manual therapy to promote an increase in painfree range of motion, stretching to lengthen any tight musculature of the lower leg, modalities to promote healing and possible footwear change to correct for postural problems.  A physical therapist will put you through a stretching and strengthening exercise program to eliminate the pain felt by the achilles tendon dysfunction and return you to your normal everyday lifestyle without pain as quickly as possible.  Your Joint Ventures physical therapist can perform all of these treatments to assist in the recovery of achilles tendon dysfunction.

 

There are 3 main stages of healing that occur after an acute sprain/strain injury:
 
The first stage is the inflammatory phase, where the body sends inflammatory cells to the injured site to help clot the wound and remove debris.  This phase usually lasts the first 4 days after injury.  The best treatment during this phase of injury is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.  Physical therapy can assist at this phase to help reduce the swelling and provide gentle range of motion exercises.
 
The second stage is the scar formation phase, where the body lays down collagen tissue to repair the injured site and form a scar.  This phase usually lasts from Day 4 to Day 15 after injury.  Physical therapy is most effective at this stage to help promote regular tissue growth and minimize scar tissue development.  Treatment might consist of modalities, manual therapy, deep tendon frictions, stage to promote proper strengthening without re-injury to the healing tissues. massage, stretches, and gentle strengthening exercises.  At this stage the repairing collagen tissue is still weak and can be susceptible to re-injury if over-stressed.  Physical therapy can help guide exercises at this
 
The last stage of healing is the remodelling phase, where the body remodels and increases the tensile strength of the newly repaired tissue.  This phase lasts from approximately Day 15 and continues for up to 1-2 years after injury.  During this phase, physical therapy aims to minimize scar tissue build-up, encourage optimal orientation and alignment of the newly formed tissue, correct muscle imbalances, retain and maintain mobility of the joint, increase the stability of the joint, strengthen the repaired tissue with more difficult and challenging exercises, and prepare for return to sports or leisure activities.
 
If you have suffered an acute sprain/strain please consult your doctor or physical therapist to determine the appropriate treatment plan for you.

What is Pes Anserinus Bursitis?

The pes anserinus is made up of three tendons which include the sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus muscles. These muscles are primary flexors of the knee and help protect the knee from extreme valgus or lateral stress.  Combined anatomically they lie just above the medial collateral ligament.  Pes Anserinus bursitis is irritation of the bursa or fluid filled sac that helps to cushion the knee between these anatomical structures. Pes Anserinus bursitis can occur from:

1.) Acute trauma to the knee
2.) Athletic overuse
3.) Biomechanical processes.  

Pes Anserinus symptoms include pain located on the inner knee, swelling along the inner knee, and difficulty climbing up and down stairs. Athletes who develop Pes Anserinus bursitis typically participate in a sport that requires a great deal of sharp cutting movements, runners and swimmers. Treatment for Pes Anserinus bursitis is aimed to reduce the strain on the injured musculature. This may be done with stretching, heat, ultrasound, deep tissue massage, NSAIDS, and ice massage.  Pes Anserinus bursitis should begin to resolve within a few weeks.  As your symptoms begin to dissipate you may return slowly to activities that do not aggravate your knee. Your Joint Ventures Physical Therapist can perform all of these treatments to assist you in the recovery and help return you to your previous activity level. 

AQUATIC PHYSICAL THERAPY

Aquatic therapy uses the properties of water to assist patients in the healing process and exercise performance. Buoyancy, one property of water, assists in supporting the weight of a person, therefore decreasing the amount of pressure and load on the joints of the body. Viscosity and hydrostatic pressure in the water also assists in the rehabilitation phases. Viscosity provides resistance, allowing the muscles to be worked without weights, and hydrostatic pressure will assist in decreasing inflammation, as well as, improving joint position in the water for balance and proprioception.

WHO can benefit from aquatic therapy?

ü  Arthritis

ü  Chronic pain

ü  Joint replacement

ü  Back pain

ü  Post surgical

ü  Orthopedic conditions

ü  Patients with weight bearing restrictions

 

 

WHAT are the benefits of aquatic therapy?

 Improvements in:

ü  Circulation

ü  Strength

ü  Range of motion

ü  Endurance

ü  Balance and coordination

ü  Muscle tone

ü  Pain management

 

WHY aquatic therapy?

ü  You may be challenged beyond your limits of stability in the water without the fear of consequences of falling when on land.

ü  Moving your limbs and trunk through the water elicit greater somatosensory input than they would moving through the air. Water is more viscous and provides more resistance than air.

ü  Buoyancy unloads the joints, improving pain levels and ease of exercise.

ü  Water provides a three dimensional environment of support and resistance.

 

WHERE can you do aquatic therapy?

ü  Joint Ventures Physical Therapy has trained aquatic physical therapists located at our 1079 Commonwealth Avenue office.

 

For more information about Aquatic Therapy at Joint Ventures, click here. 

October is National Physical Therapy Month (NPTM). This celebration began in 1981 as National Physical Therapy Week and then in 1992 became National Physical Therapy Month. NPTM, sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), acknowledges October as a month to recognize physical therapists and physical therapist assistants for their hard work as well as educate the community about the PT profession. This year the theme is "Physical Therapy: It's All About Movement." Movement is a vital part of physical therapy. Your physical therapist is an expert of movement and is able to help you move forward. Whether it be movement toward your goals or simply moving safely and effectively around your house and/or community, movement is essential for everyone.

Patient Compliance plays a major role in the rehabilitation process. Your physical therapist designs a home exercise program that is tailored to your specific needs based on evaluation findings and it is your responsibility to do those exercises as prescribed. If pain is experienced with an exercise, it is important that you discontinue the exercise to prevent further injury. Make sure to inform your physical therapist of this issue at your next visit. During the next visit the physical therapist can watch you perform this exercise to make sure that you are doing it correctly. In the beginning the therapist ensures proper technique and the appropriate level of difficulty. Exercises typically are progressed when the original exercise is no longer challenging. One thing to keep in mind is that you are only treated by the physical therapist for a relatively short amount of time in one week. Therefore, you will get more benefit from doing your home exercise program in the meantime to get stronger and speed up the time of recovery. The patient and the physical therapist must work together as a team to achieve the goals established.

Check out the Joint Ventures commercial that is now showing on NESN during Red Sox games as well as on CNN, TLC, HDTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, ESPN2, Animal Planet, Lifetime, and Discovery Channel.