Joint Pain in Ballwin, MO. If immobilizing joint pain is making it difficult to do the things you enjoy or just complete daily tasks, the experienced physical and occupational therapists of Axes PT is here to get you back to the activities in Ballwin, MO you love the most. Whether you have chronic pain, were diagnosed with a condition, or had an awkward fall, we’ll form a dedicated team with you to develop a treatment plan that has been demonstrated to be effective that is unique to you to help find meaningful pain relief. Our practice based on giving you, the client, a remarkable experience. If you want to get back to owning your local kickball league, or just want to get dressed without pain, contact us online or find the most convenient location for you.

Joint pain is limiting for many Ballwin, MO residents. In the U.S., roughly 25% of adults experience joint pain. While it can be significantly restrictive, it doesn’t have to control your life. It’s a good idea to see a doctor before starting physical therapy. While no remedy is 100% effective for 100% of clients, physical therapy has countless people with joint pain improve their daily lives. Contact Axes for safe, effective, and personalized treatment in Ballwin, MO.

Understanding Joint Pain | Ballwin, MO Physical Therapy

There are many different kinds of joints in human anatomy, but they all join bones together. There are three types of joints:

1. Synarthrosis joints are immovable, help provide stability by holding bonds together, such as the sutures in your cranium.
2. Amphiarthrosis joints allow for partial movement, such as the distal joint between the tibia and fibula.
3. Diarthrosis joints, also referred to as synovial joints, permit a full scope of of movement. Examples are your shoulder knee. There are six types of synovial joints:
   1. Pivot, which permits rotation around one point
   2. Plane or gliding, which allows bones to glide over each other
   3. Hinge, which permits bending and straightening in a single direction
   4. Condyloid, which allows flexion, extension, and circular motions
   5. Saddle, which also allow for sideways and circular movements
   6. Ball-and-socket joints allow the highest degree of movement and including rotational mobility

A human adult has 206 bones which are bridged by 360 joints. The majority of them are synovial joints, which are made up of:

• Cartilage — Cartilage is a connective tissue that covers the surface of the joint. It allows for smooth movement and cushions the bone against each other.
• Synovial membrane — This membrane lines the inner capsules of synovial joints and tendon sheaths. It produces synovial fluid, a thick, lubricating egg white-like substance that reduces friction when bones glide over each other.
• Ligaments — Ligaments are bands of tough and pliable tissue that connect two bones together, hold them in place, and help you move properly. For example, the ACL connects your thigh bone with your shin bone and prevents the tibia from moving too far forward.
• Tendons — These are also durable and elastic tissue that attaches your bones to the muscles that control their movement.
• Bursae — These are fluid-filled sacs lining different parts of the joint that act as a shock absorber and reduce friction as the different parts of a joint interact with each other.
• Joint Cavity — This is in the middle of the joint and holds the synovial fluid.

Our brain sends us pain signals when we are injured to let us know that something is wrong. When you feel joint pain, that means some part of the innerworkings of your joint are damaged and cannot function as intended Your brain wants you to do something about it. Evidence-based physical therapy in Ballwin, MO is often needed to address the issue.

Common Causes of Joint Pain | Ballwin, MO Physical Therapy

Joint pain can occur because of a variety of conditions. Those conditions can range in severity; some are not entirely curable but pain can be alleviated. Other times joints can be made healthy in a matter of weeks. All of them, however, require an optimal treatment plan and the care of a licensed physical and occupational therapist in Ballwin, MO like those at Axes. The most common causes of joint pain include:

Arthritis

Arthritis is a general term for several conditions that cause joint pain. Most people with arthritis have what is called osteoarthritis, which degenerative joint disease characterized by the wearing down of the cartilage at the end of your bones. It generally occurs with old age, repeated trauma, or overuse.

Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are autoimmune conditions wherein your immune system erroneously attacks healthy tissue, most often in the joints.

While we have yet to find a a cure for arthritis, improved mobility and reduced pain can be achieved with evidence-backed physical therapy by reducing the stress placed on the joint with improved strength and flexibility. Physical therapy is an aspect of arthritis treatment along with medications, supplements, and topical treatments. The Ballwin, MO physical therapists at Axes will work directly with you and your doctor to create a personalized treatment plan with the objective of bringing piece and mobility back to your everyday life.

Bursitis

Bursitis leads to joint pain when the bursae become swollen and cannot reduce the friction between parts of the joint. It can be the result of overuse, injury, repeated movements, or, uncommonly, infection. The majority of bursitis cases involve the shoulder, hip, elbow, and knee. Safe flexibility and strength exercises, coupled with rest along with patient education can help prevent more bursitis down the road and rebuild strength and flexibility in the joint. With the right treatment, bursitis can go away within a month.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis causes joint pain when the tendons connecting the bones and muscles become swollen or irritated. It can happen with tasks that require repetitive motions such as in manual labor. is also a common sports injury. It usually occur in the shoulders, heels, elbows, and knees. Physical therapy will lightly strengthen and lengthen the tendon to make further injuries less likely. If a tendon becomes torn, it may require surgery.

Sprains and Tears

Sprains happen when a ligament is stretched or torn because of twisting, landing awkwardly, or direct trauma to the joint. Tears transpire when a ligament, tendon, or muscle is ripped. While you may be able to recover from a sprain in a few weeks, recovering from a tear is much more difficult. Tears like rotator cuff tears and ACL tears can cause significant pain and profoundly impact your ability to perform basic tasks.

If you’re experiencing joint pain, take advantage of our free injury screenings with one of our joint pain experts in Ballwin, MO. If what’s causing your joint pain requires surgery, we’ll work with you to create a personalized pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation plan.

How Physical Therapy in Ballwin, MO Can Help Your Joint Pain

We evaluate each Ballwin, MO clients as an individual, so your specific treatment plan will be based on the root causes and severity of your joint pain, how old you are, your occupational needs, and the activities you want to enjoy in the future. We’ll work with you to show you safe and effective exercises that you can perform at home after your treatment plan is completed, so you can continue to manage any future pain and prevent further injuries.

While it may seem natural to avoid movements that cause joint pain, the truth is that by not moving affected joints the pain and stiffness may only get worse. At Axes, our Ballwin, MO physical and occupational therapists understand what it takes to get positive patient outcomes; we know how to help you increase mobility and strength without causing further damage. We can also show you how to better protect your joints with posture correction and other techniques.

Depending on the specifics of your joint pain, we may use the following treatments in Ballwin, MO:

• Dry Needling
• Work Rehabilitation
• Injury Prevention
• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Kineseo Taping®
• Blood Flow Restriction Training

Check out the links below to see what other services we offer in Ballwin, MO:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Joint Pain Relief in Ballwin, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

While joint pain, and other issues that require physical therapy, can take a physical toll, it can also impact us mentally by keeping us away from the things we enjoy. At Axes PT, every one of our professional Ballwin, MO occupational and physical therapists is dedicated to seeing you be able to participate in the activities you love. We believe the best way to get our patients back to optimal health and a pain-free life is by working with them as a team and implementing treatment plans tailored specifically to them. Everything we do has been proven to be effective. If you’ve been waiting to move on from your joint pain in Ballwin, MO, contact Axes today or call the most convenient location for you.