Osteoarthritis

How can physiotherapy help with osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that affects the moving joints in the body, such as the cartilage, the subchondral bone and the surrounding soft tissues. It mostly affects the weight bearing joints, e.g.: spine, knees, hips or ankles.

Osteoarthritis is not always degenerative and it doesn’t always get worse over time.

Rest, which was often prescribed in the past, is most likely not what you need as the reduction of muscle mass around the joint and associated decrease in range of motion can contribute to your problem.

According to the latest research and the Australian physiotherapy association website, exercise and physical activity are essential with osteoarthritis and surgery should definitely not be the first treatment choice for patients with osteoarthritis and should only be considered after high value non-surgical care, including exercise therapy, education and weight control.

Physiotherapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis varies from patient to patient. Manual therapy to increase the joint range of motion and reduce pain can, in many cases, be beneficial.

Can dry needling help with arthritis?

Usually, we use Dry Needling to have an effect on the muscle tone, which indirectly can have an effect on the pressure on a joint and therefore can help with osteoarthritis. On the other hand, studies have shown that dry needling can also cause specific physiological responses that increase blood levels of beta-endorphins, which produces a pain-relieving effect. This can help patients reduce their reliance on analgesic or anti-inflammatory medications. Trigger Point Dry Needling therapy has also been shown to activate the hypothalamus and deactivate the limbic system in the brain, both of which can alter our perception of pain.