Arthritis: Exercise is a Critical Key

What is the one of the most helpful ways to prevent and treat arthritis?  Exercise! Balanced with rest, it is critical for treatment of arthritis.

Years ago, doctors hardly ever told arthritis patients to “go take a hike” or “go for a swim.” Arthritis was considered an inherent part of the aging process and a signal to a patient that it’s time to slow down. But not so anymore, recent research and clinical findings show that there is much more to life for arthritis patients than the traditional recommendation of bed rest and drug therapy.

pic runningExercise is critical in successful arthritis management. It helps maintain healthy and strong muscles, joint mobility, flexibility, endurance, and helps control weight.  Rest, on the other hand, helps to decrease active joint inflammation, pain, and fatigue. For best results, arthritis patients need a good balance between the two: more rest during the active phase of arthritis, and more exercise during remission.  During acute systematic flares or local joint flares of arthritis, patients should put joints gently through their full range of motion once a day, with periods of rest.  To see how much rest is best during flares of arthritis, patients should talk to their health care providers.

Chiropractic care can also greatly help the arthritic patient.  Chiropractic helps restore the body’s natural ability to function and heal itself, providing more relief to patients with arthritis.  Chiropractic can reduce pain, help increase range of motion, lessen stiffness, and help increase circulation and nerve function to all areas of the body by removing interference to those nerves.

Laser therapy has also shown great benefits in reducing pain during flare ups. Laser therapy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen, and nutrients to the affected area.  This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain.

To find out more about chiropractic and laser therapy as treatments for arthritis and other conditions, please click the following links:

Chiropractic

Laser Therapy

Dr. Trent Burrup is a chiropractor certified in Class IV Laser Therapy and provides care for patients with arthritis and many other conditions in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas including West Jordan, South Jordan, Sandy, Draper, Taylorsville, Murray, Riverton, Herriman, Bluffdale, Cottonwood Heights, Holiday, Millcreek, West Valley City, and South Salt Lake.  We also provide service to patients that come from the Utah County area and as far north as Logan, and even some from out of state…come experience the difference at The Institute!