What is Arthritis?

Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that cause pain, swelling, and limited movement in joints and connective tissues throughout the body. It is usually chronic, meaning that it lasts a lifetime. Specific causes for most forms of arthritis are not yet known. How the disease progresses also varies depending on the form of arthritis. The two most prevalent forms are:

• Osteoarthritis—A degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against the bone.
• Rheumatoid arthritis—A systemic disease that affects the entire body. It is characterized by the inflammation of membrane lining the joints, which causes pain, warmth, redness, and swelling. The chronic inflammation causes deterioration of the joint, pain, and limited movement.

If you have been diagnosed with arthritis and thought there was nothing to do about it, we would like to tell you about some exciting opportunities at Pro Medical Rehab. For years it was believed that if you have arthritis, you should take it easy and just learn to live with it. Medications would provide some relief, and surgery may be an undesirable option.

What research shows
We have good news. Recent research tells us there are now several options to significantly reduce your pain, enhance your quality of life and get you back to the activities you enjoy. There are also new medications and joint treatments that are very effective.

And best of all, Pro Medical Rehab offers this new approach to arthritis care all under on roof.

Introducing the Joint Care Program
This program provides comprehensive, non-operative management of arthritis. Care is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals specializing in the treatment of arthritis including physicians, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, and registered LPN’s.

Joint Care starts with a thorough assessment of your current health, past treatments and future goals with a physician specializing in arthritis care. An individualized treatment plan tailored just for you is developed. The physician coordinates your care with our team of professionals, offering the services and treatments most likely to benefit you.

Another unique feature is our monthly group visits. Group visits provide self-management education, opportunities to ask questions, seek advise from your team (physician, physical therapist, and exercise physiologist), and meet with other people in the program for tips and support.

We will measure and monitor your progress during your treatment and continually help guide you toward achieving your health goals. There is regular communication with your primary care physician to assure consistent, integrated medical care.

Treatment Options
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) is a medical specialty dedicated to maximizing quality of life. PM&R physicians have advanced training and skill in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of functional disabilities of all types. The treatment options used by PM&R physicians to help manage arthritis may include a combination of the following:

Exercise
Proper exercises performed on a daily basis are an important part of arthritis treatment. They help build and preserve muscle strength, keep joints flexible, and help protect joints from further damage. There are two broad categories of exercise:

• Therapeutic—A PM&R physician can prescribe therapeutic exercises based on individual needs that are designed to reach a certain goal.
• Recreational—includes any form of movement, amusement, or relaxation that refreshes the body and mind. These exercises add to a therapeutic program, but do not replace it.

Aquatic Therapy
 Chest high water in a Hydroworx pool can make walking and even running a possibility because you are now 80% weightless (bearing only 20% of your weight). This weightlessness significantly reduces the stress on joints and muscles that you may have experience on land. Since the speed on our treadmill goes from 0 to 7.5 mph in .2 mph increments, you can choose a comfortable speed while receiving all of the benefits of exercising in warm water.

•  Temperature 92 degrees

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Those Who Suffer from Arthritis and Fibromyalgia:

• Relaxation
• Increased joint movement 
• Pain relief 
• Enhanced mobility 
• Improve flexibility 
• Mobility and strength
• Removes weight from joints and bones
• Strengthens muscles and joints after surgery 
• Decreased side effects

Relaxation is one of the most important aspects of controlling arthritis and fibromyalgia. The warm water provides sensory stimulation, which increases kinesthetic awareness of the body, providing relaxation and stress relief. Combining warm water with a spa jet massage (also called watsu) can greatly reduce the stress and pain on aching muscles and joints. Studies have shown that exercising in warm water can help to decrease the painful daily side effects of these two conditions.

Our massage hoses allow you to get a focused, deep, penetrating massage for sore, aching muscles while helping to reduce joint pain. Massage allows you to penetrate arthritic joints, manipulate scar tissue, or simply relive aching muscles. It’s like having a professional masseuse at your fingertips.

Physical Therapy
Physical therapies are designed to help people with arthritis make their lives easier. Physical therapy treatment includes muscle strengthening and range-of –motion exercises. It also teaches ways to control pain without medication

Hot and Cold pool treatments
can be used to reduce arthritis pain and inflammation. These therapies come in different forms and the best choice depends on the type of arthritis, as well as the perspective of the individual combined with the recommendations of arthritis professionals. Studies have shown heat and cold therapies to be equally effective in reducing pain.


Cold Plunge
The Cold Plunge is a deep cold-water pool used to stimulate blood circulation and rapidly cool the body, especially after a sauna. Cold therapy numbs the nerves around the joint, thereby reducing pain and relieving inflammation and muscle spasms. Cold therapy used for approximately 15 minutes can reduce swelling and stop pain.

Cold Plunge Pools are designed to create the ultimate recovery and revitalization environment for athletes too. The Cold Plunge chiller system keeps the water temperatures at a therapeutic 55 degrees to help control joint inflammation and enhance muscle recovery.

Temperature 55 Degrees

Hot Whirlpool

A whirlpool can bring welcome relief by providing the warmth, massage and buoyancy needed to both relax and exercise joints and muscles. Whirlpools use directional and flow adjustable hydrotherapy jets, which produce an air and water stream to massage specific parts of the body. The water should feel relaxing and comfortable, and not hot. If you are using a whirlpool for just soaking or doing very gentle exercises for arthritis, you should set the temperature between 102 to 104 degrees.

Indications:
Whirlpools can be used to help ease the pain of many arthritis sufferers. Characterized by inflammation of the joints, causing swelling, pain and stiffness, arthritis often results in loss of joint movement or function. You may find relief without drugs by soaking in the warm waters.

A whirlpool allows for ease of movement of joints generally affected by arthritis, such as the knees, hips, hands, elbows and shoulders. Warm water causes muscles to become relaxed, which can then make it easier to perform exercises and daily tasks. A peaceful soak in a spa creates an overall feeling of comfort, minimizing the pain and inflammation of arthritis.

Cautions:
If you suffer from high blood pressure or any type of cardiovascular disease you must first consult your physician before using the hot therapy pools.

You should spend no more than 20 to 25 minutes in the Hot Therapy Pool.

Medicines
Many different medications are used to treat arthritis, including pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and aspirin. Some new over-the-counter supplements such including glucosamine and chondroitin are also used to help with arthritic pain in some patients. And, newer non-surgical techniques such as Viscosupplementation are also an option.

Rest
Rest helps relieve the effects of too much activity. However, too much rest may lead to stiffness and poorly moving joints. The right balance has to be found for each person.

Prevention
Taking the following steps can prevent or reduce the effects of arthritis:

Know the Warning Signs
If you have any of these signs in or around a joint for more that two weeks, see your doctor:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Difficulty moving a joint

Seek Early Diagnosis and Treatment

• Early diagnosis and treatment are important to help slow or prevent damage to joints that can occur during the first few years after arthritis is diagnosed. The longer the disease persists, the more the joints are damaged; therefore it is vital to receive treatment as soon as a diagnosis is made.

Maintain Appropriate Weight

• Maintaining an appropriate weight can reduce the risks for developing osteoarthritis in the knees, and possibly in the hips and hands.

Protect Joints

• Joint injuries caused by accidents, injuries of overuse can increase the risk for osteoarthritis. Keeping the muscles around joints strong may reduce the risk of wear on that joint.

Exercise

• Regular physical activity helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.

How to enroll
If you are interested in participating or being evaluated for the Pro Medical Joint Care Program, please call (304) 983-7766.

Many of the services in this program are covered by insurance.