Rehabilitation Treatment Techniques for Joint Protection and Pain Management

It has long been acknowledged by medical experts that medical therapy alone, which includes medications, will not be enough to manage pain for those suffering from joint disorders such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. In fact, physiotherapy has been considered a major component in addressing these disorders and with positive results. To further improve the condition of a patient, rehabilitative techniques have been in increasing use. Examples of these techniques which have been very successful include the following:

Splints

Especially during acute stages of any joint disorder, patients should put their joints at rest to relieve pain. The positioning of the affected joint is very critical in order to get maximum benefit from the rest. In order to achieve this, splints may have to be used. Splints have been proven to be very effective in rehabilitation treatment for body joints exposed to pain, discomfort, swelling, and other symptoms. What is critical in this method is in the manner of placing the splint and the choice of materials.

Orthosis

Similar to the use of splints, orthoses have also been shown to greatly help the patient in reducing pain and inflammation, prevent deformities from occurring, support affected joints, and diminish the stiffness. The use of orthosis has increased in recent years which saw its application including all joints of the body where it used to be popular only for leg problems. New materials, designs, and innovations in this field have made this option a very advantageous one for the patient. Studies have shown that grip strength increased tremendously with wrist orthosis and finger deformities controlled with the use of ring orthosis.

Compression Gloves

Compression using conventional methods has been shown to greatly benefit patients with injuries. Using the same principle, people with joint disorders also benefit but this time using compression gloves. It has been reported that patients using compression gloves experienced huge improvements by way of reducing joint swelling, relieving pain, and enhancing overall well being.

Assistive Devices

Assistive devices have long been recognized as very beneficial to patients with joint disorders such as arthritis and those who have been injured. These devices have been shown to reduce pain and discomfort, reduce functional difficulties, protect the joints, and very vital in the conservation of energy. Patients using assistive devices have been allowed to be independent and self sufficient which could have been very difficult or impossible if left on their own. As an example, the use of canes has been reported to reduce the stress on the hip joints by as much as 50 percent.

Adaptive Equipment

Like assistive devices, adaptive equipments have hugely benefited disabled people and those suffering from severe joint disorders. Instead of being rendered immobile, with equipments such as wheelchairs, sufferers may be able to handle simple routine tasks on their own and enhance their functions in many aspects. This will surely aid in providing them the independence which may translate to an improvement in their quality of life. With the help of experts such as occupational therapists, the use of adaptive equipments ranging from toilet seats and moving aids can be put in place for the benefit of the patient.