Physical Therapy for Arthritis

Physical Therapy is not a cure for arthritis in Port Isabel or Olmito, but it is a therapeutic option to help you improve your physical function, increase your mobility, and ultimately help you manage your symptoms. 

How can Physical Therapy help treat arthritis? 

The treatment plan that your Physical Therapist creates to help with your arthritis may include medications, vitamines, or even topical treatments.

Physical Therapists are the experts of movement. Even if referred by a doctor to see a physical therapist, your Physical Therapist might also conduct an examination of your muscles, posture and overall body mechanics to have a better understanding of your muscle and joint limitations. This exam will help your physical therapist create a personalized treatment plan. 

The goal for your treatment plan will be to see an improvement in your joint movement, an increase in your range of motion, and a decrease in pain in the arthritic affected area. 

You may notice during your visits that your body will have other unintended improvements from Physical Therapy, such as: alleviated stiffness, an increase in energy, improvement on your overall fitness level, and even an increase in coordination. Almost all of the exercises done at the office can be made at home, with the exception of assisted stretches.

Can Physical Therapy make arthritis worse?

The goal for Physical Therapists that treat arthritis is to help you decrease your symptoms and improve function on the arthritic affected area. 

It is common to experience soreness or discomfort after your initial visit. However, it is very important to let your Physical Therapist know how challenging each you found each exercise to be so that they can make any necessary modification.

If you are stretching and exercising at home, it is imperative that you follow the recommendation of your doctor or physical therapist. Before starting, you should make sure you are stretching and warming up the muscle groups close to your arthritic affected area. Make sure you are listening to your body, the beauty of exercising at home is that you can take as many breaks as your body requires. There may be days when you have a flare-up, and you will not be able to do an exercise as well as you have in the office, and that is okay! The most important thing you can do is be consistent with your exercises and do your best. 

Is Physical Therapy covered by insurance or Medicare?

Most insurances will cover physical therapy when medically necessary. It is best practice to check with your insurance provider to see if a referral is needed. 

If your primary care doctor considers physical therapy medically necessary to treat your arthritis, then Medicare will cover part or all of the costs.  

If you are unsure if insurance will cover your particular condition, do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We will be happy to help schedule an evaluation and determine if insurance will cover your physical therapy appointments.

Finding Physical Therapy for Arthritis 

If you are interested in seeing if you or a loved one might benefit from physical therapy for arthritis, we highly recommend you consider scheduling a consultation with our team. Our highly-trained physical therapists have experience in helping individuals find relief from arthritis so they can get back to their preferred lifestyle.