What is Osteoarthritis?
- “Degenerative” or “wear and tear” changes to the joint
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Slow onset of pain in the joint
- Increased pain and swelling in the joint in the morning or after prolonged activity
- Symptoms alleviating after ~30 minutes
- Joint swelling or warmth
- Feels better with light activity
- Tender to touch
Risk Factors
- Age > 55 years old
- Family history
- Obesity
- Previous joint Injury and/or surgery
- More common in females
- Anatomical joint shape/size/alignment
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
- Arthritis due to an autoimmune and inflammatory disease – this means the body will attack the healthy cells
- A chronic disease that affects the smaller joints in the body – normally starts in feet or hands.
- This disease is symmetrical, so the same spot will hurt on both sides.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Pain in more than one joint
- Stiffness in more than one joint
- Swelling in more than one joint
- Tenderness to more than one joint
- The same symptoms on both sides of the body
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Weakness
Risk Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Age – can occur at any age; however, increased risk the older one is
- Women are 2-3x more likely to develop RA
- Obesity
- Exposure to smoking at a young age or history of smoking
- Specific genes have been correlated to RA – HLA class II genotypes
What is Posttraumatic Arthritis?
- Develops after trauma to the shoulder such as a fracture, dislocation, or other injury
Symptoms of Posttraumatic Arthritis
- Pain
- Loss of Motion
- Locking
- Catching
- Clicking
- Swelling
Specialists in the Twin Cities
If you are experiencing any symptoms of arthritis please contact us today to set up your appointment with a Minnesota physical therapist. We have physical therapy clinics located in Minneapolis and Edina.
