What can physical therapy do for your neck arthritis?

There are many things that physical therapy can do for people with neck arthritis. But you have to be open to trying physical therapy in order to get the benefits it can offer. 

Neck arthritis is also called cervical spondylosis, and it affects a huge percentage of Americans. One medical study reports that more than 85% of Americans over 60 have neck arthritis. Doing regular physical therapy sessions is just one way you can manage your neck arthritis symptoms; yet, this is a type of treatment you should consider since it offers multiple benefits for those who have neck arthritis. 

Physical therapists have a solid grounding in the human musculoskeletal system, which includes the structures of the neck. This knowledge and the experience of treating neck arthritis allow physical therapists to offer several key benefits to patients with this condition. Some of these benefits include: 

1. Education — It’s harder to know what can help you manage neck arthritis more effectively if you don’t know much about it. Physical therapists can inform you about this condition. They can help you learn such information as: 

• What symptoms neck arthritis causes. 
• Movements that can aggravate your symptoms. 
• Things you can add to your daily routine that can help reduce your symptoms. 

2. Pain reduction — Neck arthritis can literally be a pain in the neck. Trouble managing this pain is one reason why people seek help from a physical therapist. Physical therapists can use manual therapy methods to help ease neck stiffness and pain. They can also demonstrate therapeutic exercises designed to decrease pain and improve neck strength. 

3. Range-of-motion improvement — How much you can tilt and turn your head is an indication of how good your neck range of motion (ROM) is. Often, neck arthritis sufferers experience decreased neck ROM. Physical therapy sessions can allow you to improve your neck ROM, and they can help improve your ability to do normal daily activities. 

4. Slowing arthritis progression — Arthritis is a condition that progresses over time. Slowing the progression of your neck arthritis is a benefit that physical therapy can offer. One way your physical therapist can help with this is by making ergonomic recommendations. Such recommendations typically involve things like: 

• Paying closer attention to the positioning of your neck and head. 
• Adjusting your computer monitor to reduce neck strain. 
• Purchasing an ergonomic office chair. 

Find effective physical therapy for neck arthritis at Back in Motion

Not sure where to turn for top-notch physical therapy for neck arthritis? Our Back in Motion Physical Therapy team is primed to help you find the help you need for this condition. We offer free screenings that can confirm your neck symptoms are being caused by arthritis. 

Additionally, our physical therapists are adept at creating personalized therapy plans designed to offer neck arthritis patients all the benefits above and more. We even offer at-home care and virtual therapy services that allow you to treat your symptoms from home. 

Contact us today for more information about our arthritis treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.