There are a growing number of U.S. residents who are suffering from arthritis, and Wisconsin is a part of this trend. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 22% of Wisconsin residents have arthritis. This high number of cases means many people are looking for effective options to treat arthritis pain. A physical therapist from Franklin Rehabilitation can help you find the treatment you need. There are two physical therapy methods in particular that may be included in your treatment plan. 

1.   Manual therapy

Manual therapy is actually a category that contains multiple physical therapy methods. These rely on the use of the therapist’s hands or tools to perform or guide specific movements. This is why the category is called manual therapy. The therapy methods in the manual therapy category can be used as options for treating arthritis pain. 

For example, joint mobilization is a manual therapy that is often used to treat joint stiffness and pain. This therapy is typically performed with you lying or sitting down. The therapist will then use their hands to move the joint through a series of movements, and these movements are often ones that you may not be able to do yourself. However, none of the movements will move your joint beyond its normal range of motion. Instead, the movements are intended to reduce stiffness in the joint and decrease your arthritis pain. 

2.   Dry needling

Another option that may be used for arthritis pain treatment is dry needling. This therapy method uses thin needles and is intended to reduce tension and pain in soft tissue. It’s especially helpful for relieving the tension built up in trigger points around arthritic joints. 

When you have arthritis, it’s natural to try to move the affected joint as little as possible. However, this lack of movement can actually increase your pain. Not moving the joint means you’re using the muscles around the joint to hold it in place, and this leads to increased muscle tension. The resulting tension builds up in specific areas of the muscle called trigger points. Dry needling allows these trigger points to be targeted and the tension in them released. This may result in improved joint mobility and reduced pain. 

Find a physical therapy team that gives you arthritis pain treatment options at Franklin Rehabilitation

At Franklin Rehabilitation, our team is experienced with helping arthritis patients. We evaluate each patient individually, and this allows us to determine how arthritis is affecting your specifically. Our team will then design a personalized plan to treat your arthritis, and this plan is intended to offer you benefits like: 

• Reduced pain
• Increased range of motion
• Improved joint mobility
• Improved ability to do normal daily tasks

Are you ready to take the next step to reduce your pain? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.