Arthritis of the knee, hip, and back are common ailments seen in our St. Augustine physical therapy location. Arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis (OA), occurs when a joint is painful and limited in motion. As such, a person with knee arthritis may have a tough time bending their knee for stooping, kneeling, and cutting (like in tennis). A person with hip OA may limp with walking, have difficulty carving with surfing, or subsequent back pain due to lack of rotation. Spinal arthritis is another ailment that can limit rotation in sports like tennis and golf, while also reducing sitting and standing comfort. 

Current research shows that people with arthritis can greatly reduce their pain, improve their movement, and restore their strength with physical therapy. Often the best treatments are active exercises, education, activity progression, and manual therapy to initially help to reduce pain. Dry needling, which our PT staff in St Augustine and Ponte Vedra are certified in, has been shown to have moderate evidence for effectiveness in reducing arthritis pain and disability in patients with knee arthritis. 

What else can help with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee? A recent study in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports PT highlighted how exercise plus dietary weight loss was better than exercise or weight loss alone in reducing disability associated with hip and knee arthritis. This means paying attention to your nutrition once you’ve begun an exercise routine can have significant positive effects on your motion and function. Fortunately Dr. Sean Wells, our therapy team lead and owner in the Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine area, is certified and teaches nutrition to physical therapists nationwide. Integrating simple changes to your diet can help reduce inflammation and promote weight loss. For intricate and detailed dietary changes Dr. Wells often refers clients to local registered dieticians.

In the end, arthritis should not hold you back from the active and healthy lifestyle you want. Whether it is fishing, tennis, golf, or surfing -- physical therapy exercises and diet changes can help you lose weight and improve your pain and motion! Call today to schedule a PT consult: 904-568-1156.

Image reference: Marco Verch by CC 2.0