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Brisbane and Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation West End and Albion specialise in sports physiotherapy, orthopaedic rehabilitation, back and neck pain, occupational and workplace physiotherapy, and arthritis and joint pain.

Arthritis and 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.

Arthritis can be debilitating and severely impact quality of life, but arthritis doesn’t always result in permanent pain or invasive surgery.

Brisbane Physiotherapy aims to improve pain, mobility and function through education, hands-on treatment and exercise prescription.

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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.

Common causes of joint pain by region

  • Shoulders

    • Fractures/Dislocations

      • Clavicle fracture

      • Scapula fracture

      • Proximal humerus fracture

      • shoulder dislocation/subluxation

    • Osteoarthritis

      • Glenohumeral joint

      • AC Joint degeneration

  • Elbow

    • Fractures/dislocations

      • Humeral shaft fracture

      • Distal humerus fracture

      • Fracture of the radial head

      • Elbow dislocation and subluxation

      • Monteggia fracture

      • Ulna fracture

      • Olecranon stress fractures

  • Foot and Ankle

    • Fractures and dislocations

      • Ankle fractures

      • Snowboarder’s fracture

      • Fifth metatarsal fracture

      • Stress fracture

    • Arthritis

      • Ankle arthritis

      • Hindfoot arthritis

      • Big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus)

      • Midfoot arthritis

    • Bunions

      • Tailor’s Bunion

      • Hallux Valgus

  • Chest and Ribs

    • Fractures and Joint Injury

      • Sternoclavicular joint injury

      • Rib fracture

      • Sternum fracture

  • Spine

    • Fractures and dislocations

      • Flexion fractures (compression and burst fractures)

      • Extension fractures

      • Transverse process fractures

      • Dislocation and subluxation

      • Cervical fracture (broken neck)

      • Pelvic (sacral) stress fracture

    • Osteoarthritis

      • Cervical spondylosis

      • Thoracic spondylosis

      • Lumbar spondylosis

    • Osteoporosis/Osteopaenia

    • Coccydynia

    • Spinal Stenosis

    • Scoliosis

  • Knee

    • Osteoarthritis

      • Focal chondral (joint surface cartilage) damage

      • Osteoarthritis of the knee

    • Fractures and dislocations

      • Tibial plateau (shin bone) fracture

      • Patella (kneecap) fracture

      • Femur (thigh bone) fracture

  • Hips

    • Arthritis

      • Hip arthritis

      • Hip dysplasia

    • Fractures and dislocations

      • Neck of femur fractures

      • Hip dislocation

    • Labral tears

    • Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)

    • Avascular necrosis

Find out more about our treatment modalities:

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