Joint Pain in St. Charles, MO. If your ability to enjoy a pain-free life is jeopardized by joint pain, the knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists of Axes PT will help you get back to the activities in St. Charles, MO you love the most. Whether you have chronic pain, recently received a diagnosis, or had an awkward fall, we’ll work in concert with you as a team to create a treatment plan that has been demonstrated to be successful that is personalized specifically for you to help considerably alleviate your pain. Our practice based on giving you, the client, a remarkable experience. If you want to get back to dominating corners on the football field, or just want to stand up and sit down without pain, reach out to us us online or find the most convenient location for you.

Joint pain is all too common for St. Charles, MO residents. In the United States, approximately 25% of adults live with joint pain. While it can be severely restrictive, it doesn’t have to control your life. It is important to consult with a doctor to see if physical therapy is appropriate for you. While no therapy is 100% successful for 100% of clients, physical therapy has countless people with joint pain improve their daily lives. Contact Axes for for a no-obligation injury screening and to be referred to a physician.

Understanding Joint Pain | St. Charles, MO Physical Therapy

There are many different kinds of joints in human anatomy, but they all work to connect bones together. There are three categories of joints:

1. Synarthrosis joints are immovable, meaning they connect bones but cannot move, for instance the bones in your skull.
2. Amphiarthrosis joints provide limited movement, for example the vertebrae in the spine.
3. Diarthrosis joints, also called synovial joints, make most of the movements our bodies make possible. Examples are your shoulder knee. There are six types of synovial joints:
   1. Pivot, which permits rotary movement around a single axis
   2. Plane or gliding, which permits bones to glide over each other
   3. Hinge, which permits bending and straightening in a single direction
   4. Condyloid, which allows side to side and circular movements
   5. Saddle, which permits similar movements as condyloid joints
   6. Ball-and-socket joints allow any of the movements the human body can naturally make

A human adult has 206 bones which are fastened by almost 400 joints. The majority of them are synovial joints, which are made up of:

• Cartilage — This is a connective tissue that covers the surface of the joint. Its purpose is to act as a shock absorber.
• Synovial membrane — This membrane lines many parts of the inside of synovial joints and tendon sheaths. It makes synovial fluid, a thick, lubricating egg white-like substance that lowers friction between the cartilage.
• Ligaments — Ligaments are bands of tough connective tissue that connect bone to bone and provide stability. For example, the the calcaneofibular ligament on the outside of your ankle prevents your foot from rolling inwards.
• Tendons — These are also durable connective tissue that attaches muscles and bones and allow us to move our limbs.
• Bursae — These are fluid-filled sacs between bones and surrounding tissues 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 is filled with the synovial fluid.

We experience pain because our brain is trying to tell us that we are injured.. When you suffer joint pain, that means some part of the innerworkings of your joint are damaged and cannot function as they should Your brain wants you to know it needs attention. Demonstrably effective physical therapy in St. Charles, MO is often the best way to treat joint pain.

What Leads to Joint Pain | St. Charles, MO Physical Therapy

Joint pain can occur because of a variety of conditions. Those conditions can range in severity; some cannot be cured but pain can be slowed down. In other cases joints can fully recover in a matter of weeks. All of them, however, require an optimal treatment plan and the care of a qualified physical and occupational therapist in St. Charles, MO like those at Axes. Some conditions and events that can result in joint pain include:

Arthritis

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

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

While as far as modern medicine goes arthritis cannot be cured, pain and other symptoms can be managed with evidence-backed 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 St. Charles, MO physical therapists at Axes will in concert with you and your physician to implement a personalized treatment plan aimed at bringing piece and mobility back to your everyday life.

Bursitis

Bursitis causes joint pain when the fluid-filled sacs lining your joints become inflamed and cannot reduce the friction between parts of the joint. It can be because of overuse, a blow to the joint, repeated movements, or, in some rare cases, 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 go a long way in preventing future flare-ups and maintain strength and flexibility in the surrounding muscles. With the right treatment, bursitis can go away within a month.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis can be a joint pain culprit when the tendons connecting the bones and muscles become swollen or irritated. It can happen with tasks that require repetitive motions such as pitching in baseball. It can also occur a sudden sports injury. Most cases of tendinitis involve the shoulders, heels, elbows, and knees. Physical therapy will lightly strengthen and elongate the tendon to make further injuries less likely. If a tendon becomes torn, a physician may advise surgery.

Sprains and Tears

Sprains happen when a ligament is extended or torn because of twisting, stepping on uneven ground, or direct force to the joint. Tears are 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 be incredibly painful and profoundly impact your ability to perform daily tasks.

If you have joint pain that won’t go away, consider one of our free injury screenings with one of our joint pain experts in St. Charles, MO. If your joint pain is severe enough to require surgery, come to us for your pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation plan.

What Physical Therapy in St. Charles, MO Can Do for Your Joint Pain

All of our St. Charles, MO clients are unique, so your specific treatment plan will be based on the underlying reasons for and level of your joint pain, your age, how your pain affects your ability to work, and the activities you want to enjoy in the future. As we progress through your rehabilitation, we’ll show you exercises you can perform at home safely, so you can continue to manage any future pain and prevent future flare-ups.

While our natural instinct is to avoid movements that cause joint pain, in reality not moving affected joints the pain and stiffness may only get worse. At Axes, our St. Charles, 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 teach you how to lessen the burden put on your joints with posture correction and other patient education.

Depending on you, your joint pain, and your needs, we may use the following treatments in St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

While joint pain, and any kind of pain, is a physical hardship, it can also impact us emotionally by keeping us away from the things we enjoy. At Axes PT, every one of our experienced St. Charles, MO occupational and physical therapists is committed to getting you back to the activities you love. All of our treatment plans are evidence-based and tailored to you, with the only interest being getting you a positive patient outcome. All of our techniques have been confirmed with studies. If you’re finally ready to be free of your joint pain in St. Charles, MO, contact Axes today or call the most convenient location for you.