Role of physiotherapy in Osteoarthritis

Physiotherapy targeted at:
Reducing pain
Improving movement
Strengthening muscle power
Assisting someone to be independent and functioning in addition to is possible.
The ranges of therapies which can be used include pain alleviation methods and treatments to alleviate pain and stiffness.
Pain alleviation methods
Thermal (heat treatments)
These treatments produce heat in your body tissues. The application could be directed towards superficial or deeper areas of the body. The most common kinds of treatment used are infra-red radiation (heat lamps), wax baths and hot packs for superficial treatments, and microwave diathermy and shortwave diathermy for deep heating treatment.
 Electrical treatments (electrotherapy)
 These treatments produce electrical stimulation of the body tissues. They may be extremely beneficial in the treatment of both acute and chronic arthritis, where pain, swelling and muscle spasms can be found.
 Physical treatments
These treatments range from the use of ultrasonic sound waves, ice therapy and traction.
Treatments to alleviate pain and stiffness
Exercise
A well-balanced programmer of rest and use, and careful attention to joint posture is an integral part of pain management, joint protection and maintenance of the joint function.
Controlled exercise helps lessen pain and stiffness and raises the strength of muscles and ligaments, so it helps to stabilize joints. This really is essential in all aspects of self care especially important before and after joint surgery.
Manual therapy
Mobilization and manipulation techniques are passive movements put on a joint or soft tissue through the therapist in a specific manner to help restore full movement to some joint that is painful and restricted.
With an increase of understanding of the structure and movement from the spine and peripheral joints, the usefulness of manipulation within the treatment of arthritis is becoming much clearer. Manual treatments are often useful in the chronic types of arthritis and is often successful when other methods for example heat and exercises have given little if any relief.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy or pool treatments are a very useful way of exercising arthritic joints while using buoyancy of water to assist or resist movement. The heat of the water boosts the circulation and helps reduce muscle spasms, producing more efficient movement. Joint mobility, muscle strength and general fitness could be improved with hydrotherapy.
Osteoarthritis Treatment
Medications
• Acetaminophen.Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can relieve pain, but doesn't reduce inflammation. It's been shown to be effective for individuals with osteoarthritis who have mild to moderate pain. Taking a lot more than the recommended dosage of acetaminophen may cause liver damage.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs reduce inflammation as well as reducing pain. Over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others). Stronger NSAIDs can be found by prescription. NSAIDs may cause stomach upset, ears ringing, cardiovascular problems, bleeding problems, and liver and kidney damage. Seniors are at highest chance of complications.
• Narcotics. These types of prescription medicine typically contain ingredients much like codeine and may provide respite from more severe osteoarthritis pain. These stronger medications have a risk of dependence, though that risk is believed to be small in those who have severe pain. Negative effects may include nausea, constipation and sleepiness.
Lifestyle modification
Lifestyle modification (for example weight loss and exercise), physical rehabilitation and analgesics would be the mainstay of treatment. Acetaminophen / paracetamol can be used first line and NSAIDS are just recommended as add-on therapy if pain alleviation is not sufficient.
Physiotherapy
• Work having a physical therapist. Ask your physician for a referral to some physical therapist. The physiotherapist can work with you to produce an individualized exercise regimen which will strengthen the muscles around your joint, boost the range of motion in your joint and lower your pain.
• Find methods to avoid stressing your joints. Find methods to go about your day without stressing your joints. An occupational therapist can help you find ways to do everyday tasks or do your work without putting extra force on your already painful joint. For instance, your fingers with a large grip might make brushing your teeth easier for those who have finger osteoarthritis. A bench inside your shower could help relieve the pain sensation of standing for those who have knee osteoarthritis.
• Try braces or walkfit shoe inserts. Consider trying splints, braces, walkfit shoe inserts or other medical devices that may help reduce your pain. These units can immobilize or support your joint to help you retain pressure off it.
• Take a chronic pain class. The Arthritis Foundation plus some medical centers have classes for individuals with osteoarthritis or chronic pain. Ask your physician about classes in your town or check with the Arthritis Foundation. These classes teach skills that help you manage your osteoarthritis pain. And you will meet other people with osteoarthritis and learn their tips and tricks for reducing and dealing with joint pain.
Goal of Osteoarthritis Exercises
Main purpose of Osteoarthritis Exercises is to reduce pain, improve function, and stop disability, all with the best goal of improving quality of life. There are lots of ways that these goals is possible through exercise programs, as discussed below. Muscle Strengthening
Improving Flexibility and Joint Motion
Improve Aerobic Functioning
Weight Loss
Osteoarthritis Exercises
You will find mainly three kinds:
Range-of-motion: To keep normal joint movement as well as reducing stiffness. These result in the joints flexible.
 Strengthening exercises: To improve the strength of muscles that offer the joints affected by arthritis.
Aerobic or endurance exercises: They improve cardiovascular fitness, control weight and improve overall body function.
Osteoarthritis Exercises Plan
Discuss the osteoarthritis exercises plan together with your health care provider.
Start under supervision of the physical therapist or a qualified athletic trainer.
Apply heat to sore joints before beginning exercising.
Begin exercising with stretching, flexibility and flexibility exercises.
Start strengthening exercises slowly with small light weights or resistance band.
Boost the difficulty of your exercise routine slowly.
Apply cold packs to sore muscles and joints after osteoarthritis exercises.
Ease off exercise programme and speak to your health care provider if your joints get painful, inflamed or red.
Exercise of Osteoarthritis 
Range-of-motion: Either daily or every alternate day.
Strengthening exercises: Every alternate day.
Endurance exercises: For Twenty to thirty minutes three times per week.
Range-of-motion Osteoarthritis Exercises There are several kinds of knee therapy exercises to help boost the range of motion of the knee joint and start to re-strengthen the muscles that offer the knee. The facilitated heel slides flexibility exercises are the movements described here.In individuals with osteoarthritis; improving flexibility comes with an even greater benefit than providing a warm-up before exercise. There are some different types of stretching exercises; static, ballistic then one called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF).
strengthening exercises could be classified into three categories: isometric, isokinetic, and isotonic exercises.
Isometric exercises are the ones in which you are strengthening parts of your muscles by contracting them and never moving them through their normal range which can be painful if you have arthritis. A good example of this is simply contracting your quads, without moving your joints. Isometric exercises in many cases are the best type of exercise to start with in a strengthening program, specifically in patients who can not tolerate repetitive joint motion. An issue with isometric exercises is that they tend to enhance the blood pressure more than others.
Isotonic exercises are the ones in which you contract your muscles throughout the full range of movement, again using constant weight or resistance, for example performing a biceps curl while holding a dumbbell.
 Lastly, isokinetic exercises involve constant speed of movement throughout the joint range during muscle contraction, as the amount of resistance can vary throughout the range. Isokinetic exercises are infrequently used, because of equipment requirements and uncertain correlation to functional activities.
When beginning strength training, it is good to start with only a single set of as much as 15 repetitions, done 2 days per week. It should incorporate exercises that concentrate on major muscle groups for example quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. One possible goal would be to complete 2 sets of 10 repetitions before resistance is increased.
 For those who have restrictions in their capability to execute full range of movement, it is better to use lighter and simpler weights with additional repetitions. For patients by which putting the joint through repetitive flexibility aggravates their pain, it is advisable to start with isometric exercises.
 A word of caution in patients having a history of heart problems; isometric exercises might not be the best type of strengthening  for  you and also, therefore, it is best to discuss this together with your doctor before implementing this kind of osteoarthritis exercises plan.
A few examples of exercises specifically for the legs good for individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee as well as hips.
 Quad sets:  while inside a seated position, with legs fully extended before you, make a muscle together with your thighs trying to push the rear of your knee down for the floor. Hold for Ten seconds, relax and then repeat.
 Wall slide:  place your support against the wall together with your hips and knees bent to some 90 degree angle just like you were sitting in a chair. Hold it for 10 seconds, then show up and relax. Repeat.
 Isotonic Quad exercise:  sitting inside a chair with your feet planted flat on the ground, raise your right leg straight in front of you. Relax and produce back to the floor. Repeat around the left. As you are in a position to you can add ankle weights to improve resistance.
Isometric Hamstrings while lying on the ground place heels on surface like a couch or an exercise ball. Press down while using backs of your thighs and hold contraction for Ten seconds. Relax and then repeat.
 Isotonic Hamstrings lying in your belly with a pillow beneath your abdomen to support your back, bend your knee and produce your foot back towards your buttock. Restore down to the floor repeat on the other hand.
 Isometric Gluts Lying down on a flat working surface back flat on the ground bend your knees which means that your feet are flat on the ground. Raise your buttocks up off the floor contracting your butt muscles together. Hold for Ten seconds then relax.
 Leg muscles Strengthening Using a wall or chair for balance, increase on your toes making use of your calf muscles hold yourself. Contract for Ten seconds, relax and repeat.
Endurance and adaptability exercises:  Aerobic exercise strives to enhance cardiovascular function through activities which will increase your heart rate. Traditionally, this is often achieved via activities for example walking, jogging, biking, swimming and rowing, when they are done for an appropriate period of time. With any aerobic activity, you have to remember to consider proper breathing techniques, adequate hydration and nutrition, and prior cardiovascular status. Factors for example frequency of activity, amount of exercise, intensity can be tailored to your personal needs and talents. On the whole, it is recommended that for advantages of aerobic exercise to be achieved, that you ought to aim to have Half an hour of moderate activity most times of the week. Within that Half hour time interval, there must be a warm up, a good work out and a cool down. In those who are sedentary, the first goal ought to be to minimize time spent sitting during the day. Exercise in water, like swimming or water aerobics, relieves weight on stiff or sore joints. A chance to move freely in water may also be a liberating experience, enhancing your psychological outlook. Walking or utilizing a stationary bike or elliptical machine helps promote weight loss. The less weight you carry, the less anxiety there is to your joints.
Osteoarthritis Exercises reduces pain and stiffness, and increases flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance. It may also help with weight reduction and enhances a feeling of well-being.