What causes chronic joint pain and how you can treat it

Trouble getting up from your chair. Pain when walking around the supermarket. Difficulty getting up or down stairs. Every one of these issues is commonly experienced by people with different types of joint pain. 

Most people have had a knee or elbow that’s hurt for a few days. But there are many people who develop joint pain that lasts for months or even years at a time, which is called chronic pain. A physical therapy specialist can help you learn about issues that can cause chronic joint pain. They can also offer you effective treatment for your long-term joint discomfort. 

Common causes of chronic joint pain

The joints are complex structures, and they’re made up of bones, cartilage, muscles and other soft tissue. This complexity means that there is no shortage of issues that can lead to chronic joint pain. A few of the conditions and injuries that commonly lead to long-term joint pain include: 

• Osteoarthritis
• Tendinitis
• Tennis elbow
• Patellofemoral syndrome
• Bursitis
• Cartilage tears
• Ligament injuries
• Muscle injuries

What steps can physical therapists take to treat chronic joint pain? 

Your physical therapist can take several steps to help your persistent joint pain. First, they can evaluate the affected joint and surrounding structures. This is intended to reveal the issue(s) causing your pain.

Then, your therapist can build you an individualized physical therapy program that can help treat the joint issue(s) you have. Some of the therapy methods that can be included in your plan are: 

• Aquatic therapy
• Joint mobilization
• Anodyne^® therapy
• Myofascial release
• Therapeutic exercises
• Ergonomics training
• Virtual therapy

Turn to Peak Performance for chronic joint pain treatment

Not sure where to find a top-notch therapy team that can help with your persistent joint pain? You’ll find the team you’re looking for at Peak Performance. Our physical therapists can perform comprehensive evaluations to pinpoint the source of your joint pain. In addition, we excel at constructing physical therapy plans that are personalized to your needs and designed to reduce pain. 

Contact us today for more information about our therapy services for joint conditions or to schedule an initial appointment.