Joint Injury
Types of Joint Injuries
Joint injuries typically fall into two categories: acute due to accident and trauma, or chronic due to degenerative changes.
Acute:
An acute joint injury is a sudden injury that causes joint pain and swelling that usually doesn’t last long. Some common causes of acute joint injuries include:
- Sprains: A stretch or tear in the ligaments that connect the ends of bones
- Strains: A twist, pull, or tear in the muscles or tendons that connect muscles to bones
- Dislocations: When the bones that form a joint are pushed or pulled out of place
- Fractures: A break in a bone that can occur from a single injury or repeated stress
Chronic:
Chronic joint injuries can be caused by a number of conditions, including:
- Rheumatic conditions: These disorders affect the joints, ligaments, tendons, bones, and muscles. There are over 200 types of rheumatic conditions, including arthritis, gout, and lupus.
- Joint overuse injuries: These include bursitis, tendinitis, and chronic strain. Bursitis occurs when the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that acts as a pad between the bones of a joint, becomes irritated and swollen. Tendinitis occurs when a tendon is overused, causing swelling and pain when the joint moves. Chronic strain occurs when muscles or tendons slowly stretch or tear over time from repeating the same movements.
- Other conditions: These include fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, infections, bone cancer, and leukemia.
How can we help
Physiotherapy can help with joint injuries by reducing pain, improving movement, and strengthening muscles. A physiotherapist can suggest a variety of treatments based on an assessment of the injury, including:
Manual therapy
A physiotherapist uses their hands to massage and manipulate body tissues to relieve pain and stiffness, improve circulation, and increase range of movement
Pain relief techniques
Some physiotherapists may have additional training in other techniques, such as acupuncture, taping or massage
Education
Physiotherapists can teach you how to improve your posture, body mechanics, and walking, as well as how to use assistive devices walking poles, sticks and crutches
Exercise
Physiotherapists will recommend strengthening exercises, balance and proprioceptive exercises, or exercise in water
Other treatments
Physiotherapists may also suggest hot and cold therapy, braces and splints, shoe inserts, diet or environmental modifications
Conditions
Other Conditions We Treat
