Joint Pain in West Alton, MO. If immobilizing joint pain is preventing you from living the life you want to, the qualified physical and occupational therapists of Axes PT is here to get you back to the activities in West Alton, MO you love the most. Whether you are experiencing chronic pain, were diagnosed with a condition, or were injured by trauma, we’ll form a dedicated team with you to develop an evidence-based treatment plan that is personalized specifically for you to help significantly assuage 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, contact us online or find the closest location for you.

Joint pain affects many West Alton, MO residents. In the U.S., roughly one in four adults experience joint pain. While it can be severely debilitating, meaningful relief is attainable. You should always consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is safe for you. While no treatment is guaranteed to make everyone entirely pain free, physical therapy has shown widespread success for clients with joint pain. Contact Axes for for a no-obligation injury screening and to be referred to a physician.

Understanding Joint Pain | West Alton, MO Physical Therapy

The human body has hundreds of joints, but they all attach bones together. There are three classifications of joints:

1. Synarthrosis joints are immovable, but provide strong connections between adjacent bones, for instance the joints in your skull.
2. Amphiarthrosis joints are partially moveable, for example the distal joint between the tibia and fibula.
3. Diarthrosis joints, also known as synovial joints, allow a wide range of mobility. Examples are your wrist knee. There are six categories of diarthrosis joints:
   1. Pivot, which permits rotation around a single point
   2. Plane or gliding, which permits movement up and down, left and right, and diagonally
   3. Hinge, which permits bending and straightening in a single direction
   4. Condyloid, which allows flexion, extension, and circular motions
   5. Saddle, which permits similar movements as condyloid joints
   6. Ball-and-socket joints allow the highest freedom of movement and including rotational mobility

A human adult has 206 bones which are affixed 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 shock absorption.
• Synovial membrane — This membrane lines many parts of the inside of synovial joints and tendon sheaths. It produces synovial fluid, a thick liquid that acts as a lubricant and reduces friction when bones glide over each other.
• Ligaments — Ligaments are bands of tough connective tissue that connect bone to bone, do not allow them to move unnaturally, and help you move properly. For example, the the calcaneofibular ligament on the outside of your ankle prevents your foot from rolling inwards.
• Tendons — These are also durable similar in substance to ligaments 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 your tendons, ligaments, and muscles glide over your bones.
• Joint Cavity — This is in the middle of the joint and is filled with the synovial fluid.

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

What Leads to Joint Pain | West Alton, MO Physical Therapy

There are numerous conditions that can lead to immobilizing joint pain. Those conditions can range in severity; some cannot be cured but symptoms can be mitigated. In other cases joints can be made healthy in just a few weeks. All of them, however, require a well founded treatment plan and the guidance of a experienced physical and occupational therapist in West Alton, MO like those at Axes. The most common causes of joint pain include:

Arthritis

Arthritis is an umbrella term for several conditions that cause joint pain. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and degenerative joint disease characterized by the wearing down of the cartilage at the end of your bones. Old age is the most common risk factor, but overuse and repeated trauma can also be to blame.

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

While as far as modern medicine goes arthritis cannot be cured, pain and other symptoms can be managed with effective 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 West Alton, MO physical therapists at Axes will form a team with you and your doctor to implement a customized treatment plan with the objective of getting you back to the things you enjoy.

Bursitis

Bursitis causes joint pain when the bursae become inflamed and cannot reduce the friction between parts of the joint. It can be because of overuse, injury, repeated motions, 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 go a long way in preventing further trauma and maintain 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 inflamed or damaged. It can happen with tasks that require repetitive motions such as gardening. It can also occur a sudden sports injury. It usually occur in the shoulders, heels, elbows, and knees. Physical therapy will lightly strengthen and elongate the tendon to make further injuries less likely. If a tendon snaps, you may need surgery.

Sprains and Tears

Sprains happen when a ligament is stretched or torn as a result of twisting, buckling, or direct force to the area. Tears cause joint pain when a ligament, tendon, or muscle is ripped. While the recovery time for a sprain is usually a few weeks, the recovery time is much longer with tears. Tears such as rotator cuff tears and ACL tears can cause immense pain and make basic tasks difficult if not impossible.

If joint pain is affecting your daily life, take advantage of our free injury screenings with one of our joint pain experts in West Alton, MO. If a physician recommends surgery, we’ll work with you to create a personalized pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation plan.

How Physical Therapy in West Alton, MO Can Help Your Joint Pain

No one West Alton, MO resident’s joint pain is exactly like someone else’s, so your specific treatment plan will be based on the root causes and degree of your joint pain, your age, what you do for work, and the lifestyle you want to get back to or achieve. 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 future flare-ups.

While most of us are hesitant to try and do anything that might cause more joint pain, immobility will only exacerbate your symptoms in the end. At Axes, our West Alton, MO physical and occupational therapists know what they’re doing; we will help you enhance mobility and strength without causing further pain. We can also teach you how to lessen the burden put on your joints with posture correction and other patient education.

Depending on the specifics of your joint pain, your treatment plan in West Alton, MO may include:

• 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 West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

While joint pain, and other issues that require physical therapy, is a physical burden, it can also affect us emotionally by not allowing us to live the life we want. At Axes PT, our entire team of knowledgeable West Alton, MO occupational and physical therapists is dedicated to seeing you be able to take part 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 techniques have been confirmed with studies. If you’re finally ready to be free of your joint pain in West Alton, MO, contact Axes today or call the most convenient location for you.