Arthritis can affect much more than a person's joints. Pain, stiffness and reduced movement can make everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, getting dressed, shopping or getting in and out of a chair increasingly difficult.
For some people, arthritis symptoms come and go. For others, persistent joint pain can gradually affect strength, mobility and confidence. Finding ways to stay active while managing symptoms can therefore become an important part of living with arthritis.
Arthritis pain physiotherapy can help people understand how their condition is affecting movement and develop an appropriate programme around strength, mobility, physical activity and everyday function. Physiotherapy is recognised as one of the treatments that can help people with arthritis improve strength and mobility.
For people who find travelling to a clinic difficult, receiving arthritis pain treatment at home can be a practical alternative. Home Visiting Physios provides home-based physiotherapy for people experiencing arthritis, joint pain, stiffness and reduced mobility, with treatment tailored to the individual's assessment and goals.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term used for conditions that affect the joints. There are many different types, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and the symptoms and treatment can differ depending on the specific diagnosis.
Common symptoms can include:
Joint pain
Stiffness
Swelling
Tenderness
Reduced range of movement
Difficulty with everyday activities
Reduced strength or physical activity
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK. It commonly affects the knees, hips and small joints of the hands and can cause pain, stiffness and difficulty moving the affected joint.
It is important to establish the cause of persistent joint symptoms rather than assuming that every episode of pain is simply arthritis.
How Can Physiotherapy Help With Arthritis Pain?
The purpose of physiotherapy is not simply to treat the painful joint. A physiotherapist can look at how the symptoms affect strength, flexibility, movement and daily activities.
An assessment may consider:
Joint movement
Muscle strength
Walking pattern
Balance
Functional movements
Pain and stiffness
Activity levels
Mobility around the home
Use of walking aids
Activities that have become difficult
The physiotherapist can then develop a programme around the person's needs.
For osteoarthritis, regular exercise is an important part of symptom management. NHS guidance recommends physical activity and strengthening exercise, while also noting that exercise should be appropriate for the individual and progressed sensibly.
Arthritis Pain Treatment: What Can Physiotherapy Include?
There is no single physiotherapy treatment that is suitable for everyone with arthritis.
Depending on the assessment, arthritis treatment may include several different approaches.
Exercise Therapy
Exercise can help maintain or improve muscle strength and physical function.
For someone with knee arthritis, for example, strengthening the muscles around the leg and hip may help support everyday activities such as walking, standing and using stairs.
A physiotherapist can select exercises according to the person's current ability.
The starting point may be very simple if pain and weakness are significant. As strength and confidence improve, exercises can gradually be progressed.
Mobility Exercises
Joint stiffness can make movement difficult, particularly after sitting or resting for a long time.
Gentle mobility exercises may help maintain the available movement of an affected joint.
A physiotherapist can demonstrate appropriate exercises and explain how often they should be performed.
Strengthening Exercises
Muscle weakness can contribute to difficulties with walking, transfers and stairs.
A personalised strengthening programme may focus on the muscles needed for specific daily activities.
For example, a person struggling to stand from a chair may benefit from exercises that improve leg and hip strength alongside practising the movement itself.
Functional Rehabilitation
Physiotherapy does not have to be limited to exercises performed on a mat.
For someone receiving treatment at home, rehabilitation can focus on meaningful everyday activities such as:
Getting out of a chair
Getting in and out of bed
Walking around the home
Using stairs
Standing at the kitchen worktop
Getting into or out of a car
Walking outdoors
This makes treatment relevant to the person's actual lifestyle.
Manual Therapy
Depending on the condition and assessment, physiotherapy may include hands-on techniques such as joint mobilisation or soft-tissue techniques.
NHS guidance lists manual therapy among supportive treatments that may be used for osteoarthritis, alongside exercise and other approaches.
Manual therapy should be considered as part of an overall treatment plan rather than as a replacement for active rehabilitation.
Arthritis Knee Pain Treatment
The knee is one of the joints commonly affected by osteoarthritis. Knee arthritis can make everyday movement particularly challenging because the knee is involved in standing, walking, stairs and many other activities.
People with knee arthritis may experience:
Pain when walking
Stiffness after sitting
Difficulty using stairs
Discomfort when standing for long periods
Difficulty getting up from a chair
Reduced walking distance
Swelling or tenderness
Reduced confidence with movement
Arthritis knee pain treatment should be based on the individual's symptoms, diagnosis, physical abilities and goals.
Exercise and strengthening are important components of osteoarthritis management. NHS guidance states that exercise is one of the most important treatments for osteoarthritis and can help improve symptoms and muscle strength.
A physiotherapist may therefore develop a programme involving knee and hip strengthening, mobility work, walking practice and functional exercises.
Can You Exercise With Arthritis?
Many people worry that exercise will make arthritis worse.
However, avoiding movement altogether can contribute to weakness and reduced physical capacity. NHS guidance recommends regular exercise for people with osteoarthritis and notes that appropriate exercise can improve symptoms.
The key is choosing appropriate activity and progressing at a sensible pace.
A physiotherapist can help determine:
Which exercises are suitable
How much exercise to start with
How often exercises should be performed
How to modify an exercise if it causes difficulty
How to progress as strength improves
How to balance activity with rest
This can be particularly useful for someone who has become less active because of pain.
Managing Arthritis and Staying Active
Living with arthritis does not necessarily mean giving up physical activity.
The right type and level of activity will depend on the individual's condition, symptoms and general health.
Low-impact activities can sometimes be easier for people with joint pain. Walking, swimming, cycling and appropriate strengthening exercises may all form part of an active lifestyle, depending on the person's circumstances.
The NHS recommends regular exercise for people with arthritis and highlights activities such as walking, swimming, Pilates and yoga as examples of lower-impact options.
A physiotherapist can help adapt activities if pain, weakness or reduced mobility is making exercise difficult.
Arthritis Pain Physiotherapy at Home
Travelling to a clinic can be challenging when arthritis is affecting mobility.
A home physiotherapy appointment means the assessment takes place in the environment where many of the person's difficulties actually occur.
A physiotherapist can observe how someone:
Gets out of their usual chair
Walks between rooms
Uses stairs
Gets in and out of bed
Moves around the kitchen
Manages the bathroom
Uses a walking aid
Completes other everyday activities
This can provide useful information when developing a practical treatment programme.
Home Visiting Physios provides personalised home physiotherapy for arthritis and joint problems across Kent, with wider availability across England depending on location and suitable therapist availability.
If arthritis pain, stiffness or reduced mobility is affecting your everyday life, an individual physiotherapy assessment can help identify appropriate ways to manage your symptoms and work towards your mobility goals.
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