Physical Therapy in Hazle Township for Arthritis

Welcome to FYZICAL Hazleton's patient resource about Arthritis.

Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic disability. There is no cure for most forms of arthritis. But with some effort, you don't need to lose all the movement in your joints. Most doctors refer their patients to Physical Therapists or occupational therapists for rehabilitation.

At FYZICAL Hazleton we can develop a  personalized  program to help you maintain and even improve your strength and mobility. With some help from our Physical Therapists and special equipment, arthritis won't always stop you from doing the things you enjoy or the things you need to do.

Our rehabilitation is a hands-on form of care and relies on your participation and effort. It involves exercising, learning how to care for sore and swollen joints, and figuring out ways to minimize the stress on your joints.

In the early stages of arthritis, our goal is to maintain or improve your joint range of motion and muscle strength. If your joint is severely damaged, our Physical Therapist will focus on managing your pain and finding special equipment to help you with necessary tasks. The rehabilitation experts at FYZICAL Hazleton are also experienced in helping people recover from joint surgery. Our rehab program will involve managing your symptoms, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

Rehabilitation requires patience. It takes time to strengthen your movements and learn how to do familiar tasks in new ways. The result can be a greatly improved quality of life.

In addition to Physical Therapy specialists, such as those at FYZICAL Hazleton, many other types of medical professionals are involved in caring for people with arthritis; rehabilitation nurses, vocational rehab counselors, recreational therapists, and sometimes even medical social workers, speech therapists, and psychologists. No matter what kinds of specialists you see, rehabilitation is a team effort - you, your doctor, and your therapists.

Your First Visit

What happens on the first visit to our office?

The first step in your rehabilitation is for our therapist to learn more about you and your joint problems.

History of the Problem

When you first visit FYZICAL Hazleton, we will ask questions about your disease history, your day-to-day activities, and what you have problems doing. Our Physical Therapist will ask you to rate your pain on a scale from one to ten. Your answers will help guide our examination. Below are some other questions out therapist might ask you.

• What makes your pain or symptoms better, and what makes them worse?
• How do your symptoms affect your daily activities?
• What treatments have been helpful for you?