Arthritis & Joint Pain
Arthritis and joint pain are significant health issues affecting many Australians, with approximately 3.6 million people suffering from these conditions. Arthritis encompasses over 100 different types of inflammatory joint disorders, the most common being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. These conditions can lead to chronic pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints, severely impacting a person’s quality of life.
Improve pain, mobility and function
Arthritis can be debilitating and severely impact quality of life, but arthritis doesn’t always result in permanent pain or invasive surgery.
Our Physiotherapists aim to improve pain, mobility and function through education, hands-on treatment and exercise prescription.
Common types of arthritis
Arthritis is a broad term that refers to a variety of joint diseases and conditions.
Below are the main types of arthritis:
Osteoarthritis (OA): The most common form of arthritis, usually due to aging or wear and tear on the joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): An autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the joints.
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): Associated with the skin condition psoriasis.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS): Primarily affects the spine, causing inflammation and potential fusion of the vertebrae.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA): The most common type of arthritis in children under 16.
Gout: Caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, leading to sudden, severe pain.
Lupus: An autoimmune disease that can cause joint inflammation among other systemic issues.
Reactive Arthritis: Develops in response to an infection in another part of the body.
Infectious Arthritis (Septic Arthritis): Caused by an infection within the joint.
Enteropathic Arthritis: Associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Fibromyalgia: Although not traditionally classified as arthritis, it involves widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.
Pseudogout: Similar to gout but caused by calcium pyrophosphate crystals.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica: Involves pain and stiffness, usually in the shoulders.
Spondyloarthritis: A group of inflammatory diseases that include AS and PsA, among others.
Palindromic Rheumatism: Characterized by sudden and recurrent attacks of arthritis.
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease: Has features of several connective tissue diseases like lupus and scleroderma.