Massage Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Osteoarthritis Management
Lisa wanted to be more active. She missed walking around her neighborhood and spending the afternoon shopping with friends. Unfortunately, she had osteoarthritis in her hip, and physical activity was painful. Eventually, she visited the EleVis Wellness Collective massage therapist for osteoarthritis management – and found the tool she needed to get active once again.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the world. It occurs when the cartilage in our joints breaks down, causing the bones to rub against each other and leading to pain and inflammation in the affected joints.
As Lisa discovered, osteoarthritis can make physical activity more challenging, as joint pain often increases with movement. For this reason, many people with osteoarthritis become sedentary, which has wide-ranging effects:
- Their OA symptoms worsen (exercise is one of the best ways to manage OA)
- Their mental health suffers (physical activity is a natural serotonin booster)
- They often become isolated and start to lose mobility and independence
Basically, remaining active is crucial in addressing osteoarthritis. Massage therapy is one way to help you manage your OA pain so you can get up and move again.
Keep reading to learn more about what to expect from massage therapy for osteoarthritis management. Or call our clinic for more personalized guidance!
Massage Therapy and Osteoarthritis Management: What to Expect
While massage is relaxing, massage therapy moves beyond just relaxation to help you achieve specific therapeutic goals. When Lisa visited our Chicago clinic, she wanted help managing her symptoms so she could become more active, so we designed a program with those needs in mind.
Like most people with OA, Lisa struggled with both joint pain and joint stiffness. We wanted to reduce those symptoms while boosting her blood circulation, which would help keep her joints healthy.
Because she had active arthritis, we used more gentle massage styles to help work out restrictions in her muscles and soft tissue:
- Swedish massage, which involves long, fluid strokes of the skin, muscles, and other tissue
- Myofascial release, which focuses on manipulating the connective tissue in the body
The EleVis Wellness Collective team also worked with Lisa on other strategies to reduce her symptoms. We showed her simple self-massage strategies she could use at home and guided her hip joint through its current range of motion, a technique known as joint mobilization.
Over time, Lisa’s pain levels began to decrease, and she was able to incorporate more physical activity into her day-to-day life. The increased activity helped further reduce her pain levels, making her osteoarthritis symptoms even more manageable.
Find a Plan That Works for You
Are you struggling with the joint pain and limited mobility of osteoarthritis? EleVis Wellness Collective is here to help with a whole-body approach to treatment. We’ll help you manage your osteoarthritis pain through massage therapy and other drug-free techniques so you can return to a more active lifestyle.
Ready to get started? Request your appointment at our Chicago clinic today!