Joint Pain in Brentwood, MO. If your ability to enjoy a pain-free life is jeopardized by joint pain, the professional physical and occupational therapists of Axes PT will help you get back to the activities in Brentwood, MO you love the most. Whether you are experiencing chronic pain, recently received a diagnosis, or sustained an injury, we’ll work in concert with you as a team to implement a treatment plan that has been demonstrated to be effective that is unique to you to help you return to your pain-free life. Our practice focuses on you, the client, and achieving positive, pain-free outcomes. If you want to get back to dominating corners on the football field, or just want to tie your shoes without pain, get in touch with us us online or find the nearest location for you.

Joint pain is limiting for many Brentwood, MO residents. In the U.S., approximately 25% of adults experience joint pain. While it can be severely debilitating, it doesn’t have to control your life. It’s a good idea to see a doctor before deciding on physical therapy. While no remedy will work for everyone all the time, physical therapy has shown widespread success for clients with joint pain. Contact Axes for for a free injury screening and to be referred to a physician.

Understanding Joint Pain | Brentwood, MO Physical Therapy

The many joints in human anatomy have many shapes, sizes, and purposes, but they all share the function of connecting bones together. There are three categories of joints:

1. Synarthrosis joints are immovable, meaning they connect bones but cannot move, such as the bones in your skull.
2. Amphiarthrosis joints allow for limited movement, such as the distal joint between the two shin bones.
3. Diarthrosis joints, also known as synovial joints, make most of the motions our bodies make possible. Examples are your ankle knee. There are six types of synovial joints:
   1. Pivot, which allows rotary movement around a single axis
   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 permits the same movements as condyloid joints
   6. Ball-and-socket joints allow the greatest degree of movement and including rotational mobility

One fully grown, the human body has 206 bones which are fastened by almost 400 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 shock absorption.
• Synovial membrane — This membrane lines many parts of the inside of synovial joints and tendon sheaths. It produces synovial fluid, a thick, lubricating egg white-like substance that reduces friction when you move your joints.
• Ligaments — Ligaments are bands of durable and pliable tissue that connect two bones together, hold them in place, and help you move properly. For example, the shoulder ligaments connect your humerus to your shoulder blade and prevent the shoulder from becoming unstable.
• Tendons — These are also durable similar in substance to ligaments that attaches muscle to bone.
• Bursae — These are fluid-filled sacs lining different parts of the joint that act as a cushion and reduce friction as the different parts of a joint interact with each other.
• Joint Cavity — This is the space between bones that holds the cartilage and synovial membrane.

Our brain sends us pain signals when we are injured to tell us that something is wrong. When you feel joint pain, that means the joint cannot function properly Your brain wants you to know it needs attention. Evidence-based physical therapy in Brentwood, MO is often get your brain to quite down and stop sending you pain signals.

Why We Feel Joint Pain | Brentwood, MO Physical Therapy

There are a number of conditions that can result in crippling joint pain. Those conditions differ considerably in severity; some cannot be cured but pain can be mitigated. In other cases joints can be made healthy in just a few weeks. All of them, however, require a sound treatment plan and the care of a qualified physical and occupational therapist in Brentwood, 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 suffer from osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones degenerates. It typically occurs with old age, repeated trauma, or overuse.

Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are autoimmune conditions wherein your immune system incorrectly attacks healthy cells, usually in the joints.

While as far as modern medicine goes arthritis cannot be cured, improved mobility and reduced pain can be achieved with effective physical therapy by allowing the joint to move with greater ease. Physical therapy is an aspect of arthritis treatment along with medications, supplements, and topical treatments. The Brentwood, MO physical therapists at Axes will in concert with you and your doctor to come up with a comprehensive treatment plan aimed at getting you back to the things you enjoy.

Bursitis

Bursitis causes joint pain when the bursae become inflamed and cannot cushion the joint as well. It can be the result of overuse, injury, repeated motions, or, in some rare cases, infection. The majority of bursitis cases involve the shoulder, hip, elbow, and knee. Safe physical therapy treatments 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 around the joint become swollen or irritated. It is caused by tasks involving repetitive motions such as in manual labor. It can also occur a sudden sports injury. It usually occur in the shoulders, heels, elbows, and knees. Physical therapy will help safely strengthen and elongate the tendon to reduce the risk of further injuries. If a tendon snaps, a physician may advise surgery.

Sprains and Tears

Sprains happen when a ligament is stretched or torn because of falling, landing awkwardly, or direct trauma to the joint. Tears transpire when a ligament, tendon, or muscle is ripped. While after most sprains you can be back to normal in a few weeks, recovering from a tear is much more difficult. Tears such as rotator cuff tears and ACL tears can cause immense pain and make daily activities difficult if not impossible.

If you’re experiencing joint pain, consider one of our free injury screenings with one of our joint pain experts in Brentwood, MO. If what’s causing your joint pain requires surgery, we can be part of your pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation plan.

What Physical Therapy in Brentwood, MO Can Do for Your Joint Pain

No one Brentwood, MO resident’s joint pain is exactly like someone else’s, so your particular treatment plan will be based on the root causes and level of your joint pain, your age, how your pain affects your ability to work, and the lifestyle you want to get back to or achieve. As we progress through your physical therapy, we’ll show you exercises you can do at home safely, so you can continue to manage any future pain and prevent future flare-ups.

While it may seem natural to avoid movements that cause joint pain, immobility will only exacerbate your symptoms in the end. At Axes, our Brentwood, MO physical and occupational therapists know what they’re doing; we know how to help you increase mobility and strength without causing further pain. We can also help you learn how to lessen the burden put on your joints with posture correction and other techniques.

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

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

Click on the links below to see what other services we offer in Brentwood, MO:

• Back Pain Treatment
• 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

Joint Pain Management in Brentwood, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

While joint pain, and other issues that require physical therapy, is a physical hardship, it can also impact us mentally by not allowing us to live the life we want. At Axes PT, every one of our knowledgeable Brentwood, MO occupational and physical therapists is devoted 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. All of our treatments have been confirmed with studies. If you’ve been waiting to move on from your joint pain in Brentwood, MO, contact Axes today or call the most convenient location for you.