Dr. Ajay Bhambri

There are over 200 types of arthritis that are known to medical science. While some are easy to manage, some can be deadly if proper care is not taken on time. The common factor of any arthritis, however, is the physical pain in the joints and muscles.

How Does Physiotherapy Help?

It is known that some forms of exercise go a long way in managing the symptoms of arthritis. Physiotherapy focuses on the right form of exercise that helps in relieving pain. Furthermore, they help to improve the movement of the joint, the walking posture and muscle strengthening. Based on the condition and severity of the pain, a physiotherapist might recommend free hand exercise or workout sessions in a swimming pool.

What is the Role of a Physiotherapist?

Apart from helping in managing pain, a physiotherapist’s job includes the following:

1. To improve the flexibility, balance and coordination of the body in order to achieve the maximum physical function.

2. Recommend appropriate exercise to fix improper posture that may be causing the pain.

3. Assist in using devices such as canes and walkers.

4. Recommend various other treatment options such as thermal therapy, shoe inserts, braces and splints in order to relieve the pain.

5. Recommend changes in the environment such as using of cushion, ergonomic chairs etc.

Exercise:

A physiotherapist recommends various exercises in order to relieve the pain. They start with graded exercises. These start slowly and quantify in an incremental manner. Graded exercises help to strengthen the bone and increase the fitness of an arthritis patient. It also helps the body secrete a hormone known as endorphins which help to manage the pain.

Strengthening and Stretching:

Stretching and strengthening are basic starters that a physiotherapist recommends. After assessing the strength of the muscle, a physiotherapist advises on the techniques and of various stretching and strengthening exercises. Stretching helps to relax the muscle and free up any cramps in the body. Strengthening, on the other hand, helps the bone to become more flexible and reduces the pain.

Avoiding Arthritis Pain:

1. It is important to be active. Keeping the muscles strong and moving the muscles is a key to get relief from the pain.

2. Maintain a healthy diet in order to ensure the right BMI for your body. Being overweight or obese can exert added pressure on the bone resulting in arthritis pain.

3. Maintain good body posture, especially walking and sitting posture. Good posture helps in ensuring normal breathing and proper digestion.

4. Regularly practice the exercises recommended by the physiotherapist.

5. Using of cooling packs and thermal treatment on the joints often helps to relieve the pain.

Muscular dystrophy is a rare disorder which results in the atrophy or degeneration of muscles. This happens as the proteins required by the body to build and maintain muscles are not produced within the body in a normal manner. Muscular dystrophy mostly affects boys and develops in early adolescence although it can affect people much younger or much later in life. Ayurveda has some great treatments which can allay the symptoms and provide relief to patients afflicted with this disease.

Treatment for Muscle dystrophy in Ayurveda
With a degenerative disease like Muscle dystrophy, simple medication won’t be able to cure or relieve symptoms. Even with conventional medicines muscle dystrophy can’t be cured, but the symptoms can be reduced. Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to correcting the problems which include oral medications, food as well as exercises in the form of yoga.

Herbs

Herbs are a great way to put certain minerals within the body, which can help lessen the pain and symptoms. Some of the herbs which have been known to be effective in reducing pain and also helping with movement and day to day activities may include:

1. Triphala
2. Mansrohini
3. Nirgundi
4. Guduchi
5. Ashwagandha and many others

However, there are no medications in readymade proportions which are specifically designed and prescribed according to the diagnosis of the patient. It also needs to be complemented with a proper diet also known as Mamsagni Rasayana.

Diet or Mamsagni Rasayana

This is a very tailored diet and supplement approach to create and put the required nutrients which will slow down the decay of muscles within the body and will also help build new muscle to slow down decay. These will include extracts from herbs which will be made into chemicals and then used to make dietary supplements.

Yoga and specialized physiotherapy exercises

Yogic postures combined with certain walking and standing postures performed over time can also help reduce the symptoms and lessen the rate of decay. Some of the exercises that are helpful for various activities are:

1. Standing and movements: Padahastasana, Tad asana, Trikonasana, Vakrasana
2. Sitting: Paschimottanasa, Vakrasana, Shashankasana
3. To help with breathing: Ardha Shalabhasana, Pranayama, Bhramri Pranayama

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.