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Joints are the meeting points of our bones

The joints allow for a smooth movement of our fingers, wrists, shoulders, knees, hips and elbows.

Joint pain usually shows up as discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body’s joints.

Joint pains can be the result of illness or injury, however there are also other causes.

Osteoarthritis: the most common form of arthritis

Osteoarthritis progresses slowly and affects mainly the wrists, knees, hips and hands but can be found all throughout the body. It results from a breakdown of the cartilage that the body is using as a cushion to absorb the shocks from everyday activities. Osteoarthritis is a very common condition, affecting about 1 in 5 Australians above the age of 45.

Symptoms can develop slowly and over time, where you may have reduced joint range or mobility, pain at rest or pain with movement or weight-bearing activities. The affected joint might feel stiff or feel like it is going to give way.

Whilst some risk factors for OA cannot be modified, such as age, gender and hereditary factors, other risk factors such as overload from work, obesity, physical inactivity, and thigh muscle weakness can certainly be addressed with targeted exercise and management, education and lifestyle modifications.

Current national and international clinical guidelines recommend patient education, exercise and weight loss (if indicated) as first line treatment for osteoarthritis. Despite these clear recommendations many people in Australia do not receive the first best treatment for osteoarthritis. For this reason the physiotherapists at Aspire Physiotherapy Bunbury have completed specialised training to optimise the management of Osteoarthritis through the GLA:D program. 

If you are suffering from joint problems that may be caused by Osteoarthritis and are looking for a solution that is proven to reduce your pain, reduce your reliance on medication and improve your quality of life, go to our GLA:D page for more information.

Rheumatoid Arthritis can deform and debilitate the joints

The 2nd most common form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is more common among women than men. It attacks the membrane that lines the joints and causes pain, inflammation, and fluid buildup in the joints.

Symptoms of RA include:

• Joint Pain: warmth, redness, tenderness, swelling
• Joint Stiffness: increased in the mornings
• Fatigue throughout the body
• Fever
• Weight Loss
• Rheumatoid Nodules: small lumps of tissue felt under the skin
• Symmetrical Patterns of affected joints
• Most common joints: wrist, hand, fingers, cervical spine, shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, foot, and ankle
• Prolong symptoms
• Anemia
• Neck Pain
• Dry Eyes
• Dry Mouth

Other contributing causes for joint pain are: bruises or inflammation of the cushioning pads around the joints, lupus, gout, breakdown of cartilage, injuries, overuse of a joint, cancer and more.

Joint pain can be a result of damage that occurs due to regular use of our joint and growing age. But, it can also be a sign of an infection or RA.

The Self-perpetuating Cycle of Joint Pain

 

To improve your ability to move freely, reduce weight and reverse the self-perpetuating cycle of pain we use exercise rehabilitation.

If you’re suffering from joint pain, don’t wait for it to be too much to bear.