Arthritis is a name given to over 100 conditions which have a common nature of affecting the joint causing either pain or disease or both. It can affect all ages, races and genders but is more common in woman. Although usually pictured in the ageing population there are also some types which occur in the younger population as well such as juvenile arthritis.

Some of the common arthritic symptoms are swelling in joints, pain and stiffness and a reduced range of motion in the joints. People can have varying severity with arthritis and this can range from mild to severe. It can also fluctuate through a person’s life and usually affects people’s ability to perform daily activities and in some cases affects walking and ability to go up and down stairs.

Some types of arthritis affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys and skin as well as the joints. Arthritis can also cause permanent joint changes however it often leads to a reduction in an individuals exercise levels and daily tasks which causes further deterioration of their muscles. This results in an increase of pressure on the joints which then can cause more discomfort to an individual

Some of the common types of arthritis include: Osteoarthritis, Autoimmune Inflammatory Arthritis such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic arthritis or metabolic arthritis such as Gout.  A few risk factors that may increase the risk of arthritis is getting older, having a family history of arthritis, overweight or obesity, smoking and previous damage to a joint, such as from an injury.

When approaching these conditions, it is important to take a holistic approach by including doctors, specialists (rheumatoid or surgical) and health professionals such as physiotherapists and Exercise Physiologists. By working together, a treatment plan can be made for an individual to help them achieve the best results. An Exercise Physiologist is a profession that helps with developing better lifestyle habits and strength through education and exercises. An initial consultation will run through what each client would like to achieve or their goals, as well as a subjective history to understand the journey that someone is going through. From there, assessments are targeted based on the individual’s goal and a baseline is developed. Treatment is then targeted at strengthening the muscles around the joints affected but also throughout the body to enable more mobility and easier to complete activities of daily living. Eating well and achieving the recommended daily physical guidelines can help clients to lose weight which will then take pressure of the joints as well.

If you have any questions or would like to know how the Movement Mill can help you, contact our clinics and our friend staff for more details.