Activecare Physical Therapy
Arthritisin Erie
Find Relief from Arthritis Pain in Erie
If you’re one of the over 20 million American adults living with arthritis, you know the pain, stiffness, and loss of movement it can cause. At Activecare Physical Therapy in Erie, our experienced orthopedic therapists specialize in effective arthritis management to help you find relief. Our customized, comprehensive arthritis services incorporate multiple treatment modalities to reduce your pain, improve joint function, and promote long-term joint health. Instead of masking your symptoms, we focus on addressing the root causes of your arthritis through tailored medication management, targeted exercise programs, assistive devices, and hands-on manual therapy techniques.
Is Our Arthritis Service in Erie Right for You?
Our arthritis management services can benefit adults ages 18-65 struggling with:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Pain and inflammation in joints like knees, hips, hands, and shoulders
- Stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion
- Difficulty with daily tasks due to arthritis symptoms
- Desire to improve strength and mobility in affected joints
If you answer yes to any of the above, our tailored arthritis treatment can help you better manage your condition for less pain and optimal joint function. Keep reading to learn how.
Overview of Our Arthritis Service and What Sets Us Apart
Our arthritis service utilizes a whole-person approach to care that addresses both immediate symptoms and long-term joint health. We incorporate multiple treatment modalities into customized programs tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
What sets our arthritis service apart is our hands-on, personal approach. Our experienced therapists take time to understand your lifestyle, challenges, and goals so we can develop treatment plans to help you function at your best. We go beyond just managing pain by also focusing on:
- Improving joint mobility and range of motion
- Building muscle strength to better support joints
- Enhancing balance, gait, and coordination
- Educating patients on arthritis self-care techniques
- Providing assistive devices like splints, braces, and canes
Ann Weiss
I’ve been doing Physical Therapy at Active Care since the first of October! I tell all my friends how good the therapist I have worked with are: their knowledge of my muscles and how to strengthen them is awesome! I fell and broke my pelvis July 11th. I can walk a mile at the Peninsula now without a walker or cane! Mimi
Sue Willis
I have only good things to say about Julie, whose treatment includes dry needling, among other things. The questions that she asks before each treatment are most detail oriented and indicate knowledge and competence. Appointments are never rushed but are always on time. The dry needling and other techniques have started to improve my lower to middle back and hip pain after only 3 sessions! It looks as though this therapy may very well allow me to avoid other more invasive procedures.
In addition, we collaborate closely with your other healthcare providers, like your primary care doctor or rheumatologist. This facilitates appropriate medication management, helps us track disease progression, and enables us to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
Benefits of Our Arthritis Service at Activecare Physical Therapy
Our personalized arthritis services lead to a number of benefits including:
1. Effective Ongoing Pain Management
Living with constant arthritis discomfort can negatively impact your quality of life. Our therapy team has substantial experience developing pain management programs that incorporate various modalities for sustained relief, including:
- Therapeutic exercises to strengthen muscles and reduce stress on joints
- Manual joint mobilization techniques
- Electrotherapy such as ultrasound or TENS to ease arthritis pain
- Pain relief creams, ice/heat therapy
- Braces, splints, or ambulatory aids to reduce joint strain
We also facilitate coordination with your medical team for appropriate medication adjustments when needed.
2. Improved Mobility and Joint Function
Arthritis can severely limit mobility, flexibility, and your ability to perform daily tasks. Our customized treatment plans aim to improve joint function by:
- Increasing range of motion and reducing stiffness through stretching, joint mobilization, and therapeutic modalities
- Developing individualized strengthening programs to better support affected joints
- Enhancing coordination, gait, and balance through functional training
- Recommending adaptive equipment and teaching technique modifications to make daily tasks easier
With improved joint mobility and strength, you’ll find it easier to participate in work, leisure activities, and life roles you enjoy.
3. Better Arthritis Management through Education and Engagement
To optimize outcomes, we empower patients to play an active role in managing their condition. We educate clients on topics like:
- Arthritis basics, disease progression, treatment options
- Lifestyle changes to improve symptoms
- Joint protection and energy conservation techniques
- Home exercise programs for continued progress
Better understanding your form of arthritis enables you to implement proactive self-care and make informed treatment decisions. Our therapists also provide exercise handouts, activity suggestions, community resources and more to facilitate continued progress outside of therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering if our arthritis service is the right solution for you? Here are answers to some of our most commonly asked questions:
What’s the fastest way to treat arthritis?
There is no instant cure for arthritis. However, by developing a tailored treatment plan, we can help you find effective pain relief while also focusing on improving mobility and joint health. This dual treatment approach leads to better long-term outcomes. In just a few sessions, we can reduce your discomfort significantly using modalities like ultrasound, TENS, or joint mobilizations. We combine those with customized exercises and lifestyle changes for lasting improvements in motion and strength over time.
What causes arthritis?
There are over 100 forms of arthritis with various causes, like joint overuse or misuse, autoimmune reactions, and normal age-related wear and tear. Our therapists help diagnose what type of arthritis you have so we can develop targeted treatment strategies. We also educate clients on disease progression and prevention tailored to your specific arthritis diagnosis.
Does arthritis always hurt?
The pain caused by arthritis often fluctuates, with symptoms worsening during arthritis flares and improving during remission. While arthritis is incurable, our treatment plans incorporate various modalities to ease your discomfort not just temporarily but consistently. We equip patients with home programs and lifestyle changes to better control symptoms long-term as well.
About The Author
G. Ehren Trost ignites movement in patients facing Physical Therapy. Their experience and dedication unlocks physical potential for a better quality of life. At Activecare Physical Therapy in Erie, G. Ehren Trost wields a patient-centered approach, wielding cutting-edge techniques and bespoke care plans to conquer a vast array of physical challenges.
Take Control of Your Arthritis by Scheduling Today
If you’re tired of letting arthritis dictate your activity levels and prevent you from enjoying life, take action today. Call Activecare Physical Therapy or book an appointment online to have a consultation about our arthritis therapy services.
We’ll perform an in-depth evaluation, recommend a customized treatment plan based on your goals, and answer any other questions you have. Within just a few sessions, you can start experiencing real improvements in your joint pain, mobility, strength, and arthritis management.