Millions of individuals struggle with arthritis pain and stiffness. Many people living with arthritis follow several steps each day to relieve stiff and achy joints. This kind of pain and dysfunction can alter how you live your day-to-day life. Have you found yourself saying no to doing things you love due to pain? Has an upper extremity injury made it difficult for you to reach something high up on shelves? Occupational and hand therapy can be part of an effective plan to ease your pain while remaining active.
Request an appointment at our office today to learn how a treatment program created by Hand In Hand Rehabilitation therapists can lessen arthritis pain or even eliminate it!
It all starts with what you’re putting in your body…
Nutrition can help to alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with arthritis. You’ll want to include some specific foods in your diet that can help reduce your arthritis pain, in addition to avoiding MSG, refined carbs, and sugary meals that aggravate inflammation.
These are some of them:
- Ginger. Ginger may be able to help reduce inflammation and alleviate arthritis pain. It also adds incredible flavor to almost any food, including soups, fruits, veggies, and meat. Ginger also promotes healthy digestion!
- Walnuts. Much like the nutrients, you find in fish, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation. Walnuts can be eaten alone or added to almost any sweet or salty dish.
- Broccoli. Broccoli has an ingredient called sulforaphane, which can slow down or even prevent osteoarthritis. Broccoli is served hot or cold, in salads, or as a casserole.
- Soy. Soy is high in protein and low in fat, and it is also a great-tasting way to fight inflammation. You can get your soy through tofu, soy milk, or roasted soybeans.
Occupational therapy can help you to gain more physical activity
Occupational therapy may also help you avoid taking excessive medication to reduce your pain. An occupational therapist is trained to evaluate your condition and provide the correct exercises to meet your needs. A common exercise for arthritis patients is aquatic therapy, as working out in water allows for soothing a non-impact exercise. Your occupational therapist may also recommend working out in a heated pool in order to help relieve the pain in your arthritic joints.
While exercise won’t reverse arthritis, it can help slow its progression and ease painful symptoms!
Sticking with a regular exercise routine that’s provided by your occupational therapist can also help you maintain a healthy body weight, which will ease the strain on your joints.
Occupational therapy is more than just addressing an injury. Occupational therapy is a form of treatment that is deeply rooted in science and supported by numerous medical journals.
At our clinic, our occupational therapists focus on the functional needs of each patient by implementing certain exercises and activities that promote physical and psychological well-being.
At our clinic, our occupational therapy plans include:
- An individual evaluation to determine patient goals.
- Customized intervention activities to improve daily tasks and activities for the patient.
- An evaluation of outcomes to determine if goals were met and to make changes to the plan if needed.
An occupational therapist can show you several types of stretches and exercises that address your affected joints and help you find relief.
How can a hand therapist help?
Hand therapy focuses on the intricacies of the muscles in the hand and improving essential skills that are necessary to basic motor functions.
Improving fine motor skills after having a stroke requires actually rewiring the brain through special exercises, helping you to rebuild muscle memories and restore functionality to as close to your previous levels as possible.
A hand therapy treatment program can ease the pain from arthritis and help improve your daily life. Working with a hand therapist can help you achieve the following goals:
- Increase your range of motion. A hand therapy program can help reduce stiffness by keeping both your muscles and ligaments loose. This will lessen your pain and improve your overall range of mobility.
- Strengthen your muscles. Your arthritis pain will be significantly less intense when the muscles that surround and support your painful joints become more robust and flexible. Your hand therapist can utilize hand therapy procedures to improve strength and, as a result, give you pain relief.
- Learn how to use devices correctly. You can learn how to utilize orthotics and other assistive devices properly with the guidance of a certified hand therapist. This will help to reduce joint strain while moving and guarantee that the devices are used safely.
OT and hand therapy methods can improve your functionality
You might be surprised to learn how important basic motor skills are in your daily life. You probably take simple things for granted, like wrapping presents, decorating, preparing meals, using scissors, or working on arts and crafts, all need motor skills.
Your hands must be able to move exactly as you want them to, with no lag or restrictions. Working with a hand therapist can help you go back to a point where your hands are your own, and you can accomplish every work with the same level of attention to detail as before.
Occupational and hand therapies are excellent ways to keep your joints, tendons, and muscles working together efficiently!
A qualified occupational or hand therapist may use several treatment methods to help relieve arthritic pain! For example, a hand therapist may use massage as a way to loosen up the muscles and tendons that surround your arthritic joints. Treatments might also include the use of ice packs and ice baths to reduce inflammation.
Your hand therapist may also use heating pads, as well as other heat methods to loosen up your tight muscles. They may also use laser or ultrasound treatments to provide relief, as your therapist deems fit.
The only way to know if hand therapy and occupational therapy are right for you is to see for yourself! So what are you waiting for? Give us a call!
Request an appointment with us today
A qualified occupational or hand therapist can put together an individualized program to help reduce your arthritis pain and keep you as active as possible. Call Hand In Hand Rehabilitation today and request an appointment to see how we can help you relieve your arthritis symptoms and live a pain-free life!
