Over 20% of the population suffers from chronic pain worldwide, and among 7.4% of people, it has affected the quality of their life. 21% of females have chronic pain. Chronic pain is persistent pain lasting for 3 or more months. The severity of the pain varies among individuals; it may be debilitating for some patients. Chronic orthopedic pain is categorized into two different types; chronic recurrent pain and chronic persistent pain.
Physiotherapy is an evidence-based practice that can help reduce the severity of chronic orthopedic pain and improve overall functioning. In this blog, we will explore how you can manage chronic orthopedic pain in your patients and the benefits of physiotherapy in chronic orthopedic pain management.
Physiotherapy is an evidence-based practice that can help reduce the severity of chronic orthopedic pain and improve overall functioning. In this blog, we will explore how you can manage chronic orthopedic pain in your patients and the benefits of physiotherapy in chronic orthopedic pain management.
Understanding Chronic Orthopaedic Pain:
Chronic orthopedic pain persists for 3 or more months during the body’s healing process. The underlying mechanisms of chronic orthopedic pain are complex. Chronic persistent pain is always present for a duration of 3 or more months and persists for many years. There are no relieving factors of chronic persistent pain, i.e., it will persist in all positions and movements. The patient has tenderness on light palpation or touch. It may arise from dysfunction in the nervous system, so it is also called central dominant pain. Chronic persistent pain may radiate or refer to other areas of the body. The nervous system perceives pain signals from new regions, interrupting the pain processing centers.
Chronic recurrent pain occurs “on and off .”It is an episodic pain, and the patient can get flare-ups anytime. It is usually gradual in onset, and its intensity increases with time. It is also called peripheral dominant pain due to the involvement of nociceptors (which send sensory signals to the brain). The nature of the pain remains the same in all episodes of chronic recurrent pain.
Evidence-Based Benefits of Physiotherapy in Chronic Orthopaedic Pain:
Physiotherapy can help manage chronic orthopedic pain with various techniques, including manual therapy, exercises, and electrotherapy. The following are the benefits of physiotherapy in chronic pain management
Physiotherapy Relieves Orthopaedic Pain:
A systematic review of physiotherapy published in 2022 indicates that physiotherapy and exercise (pilates, core-based, strength, and mind-body) have the potential to relieve chronic back pain. Treatment for chronic recurrent pain and persistent pain is different. Chronic recurrent pain can be treated by addressing biochemical and neuromuscular pathologies. However, chronic persistent pain is relieved by exercises and physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy can relieve pain by addressing the underlying causes of chronic orthopedic pain. This can include techniques such as manual therapy, exercise therapy, and other modalities, including heat or cold therapy.
Improved Mobility and Flexibility: Chronic orthopedic pain leads to stiffness, limited range of motion, and immobility in severe conditions. Physiotherapy can improve mobility and flexibility by focusing on stretching and strengthening exercises, joint mobilization, and soft tissue release techniques.
Stretching exercises improve the range of motion and flexibility in certain joints and muscles. These exercises can increase the length of muscles, improve joint mobility and reduce muscle tension. Strengthening exercises increase muscle strength and endurance, which enhances overall mobility and functional abilities. Stronger muscles can help support joints and reduce the risk of injury. Moreover, manual therapy techniques (including joint mobilization, manipulation, and massage techniques) and neuromuscular re-education improve joint mobility and coordination.
Reduced Need for Medications And Surgical Interventions:
Physiotherapy has decreased the need for pain medication (opioids and analgesics) and surgical interventions by improving pain symptoms and reducing the frequency and severity of pain episodes.
Physiotherapy is a valuable tool for the management of orthopedic injuries. Improving mobility, strength, flexibility, and endurance decreases the need for surgical interventions in patients to some extent. Although physiotherapy can not replace surgical interventions, which are necessary for some cases, it has significantly reduced their need. Physiotherapy consists of non-invasive techniques which can alleviate pain and improve orthopedic injuries without the use of medications.
Physiotherapy Is Cost Effective:
Physiotherapy is a cost-effective treatment option for chronic orthopedic pain. Compared to other medical interventions, including surgery or long-term medications, physiotherapy is less expensive and has long-lasting effects.
A randomized controlled trial compared the effects of exercise and arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in patients with meniscal tears due to degeneration. This study indicates that after two years of follow-up, patients with exercise therapy showed positive results compared to those with surgical interventions.
Long Lasting Effects:
Physiotherapy provides long-term benefits by addressing the root causes of chronic orthopedic pain in orthopedic injuries. It promotes self-management and initiates a healing process through exercise and other techniques. It provides mental satisfaction, leading to better mental health. Chronic orthopedic pain can have a negative impact on mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, low mood, and other mental health problems, especially in bedridden patients. Physiotherapy can help improve mental health by promoting physical activity, reducing pain symptoms, and increasing self-efficacy.
Moreover, physiotherapy improves the body’s physical functions and overall well-being, leading to an improved quality of life.
How Does ANF Therapy®️ Help Patients With Chronic Orthopaedic Pain?
ANF Therapy ®️ is a miraculous therapy that helps patients relieve chronic orthopedic pain without using any invasive procedures. ANF devices regulate body functions by transmitting signals of specific frequencies. These signals help the body normalize neurological frequencies in the injured or weakened areas of the body. Thousands of ANF therapists all over the world have brought satisfying results to patients. ANF Therapy ®️ treats a variety of orthopedic problems, including orthopedic injuries, frozen shoulder, adductor muscles problems, bicipital tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis and golf elbow, shin splints, and many more.
As a healthcare professional or a physiotherapist, you can sign up for ANF Master class to learn more about it. We educate our therapists on how to find the root cause of orthopedic problems and treat them.
How To Join ANF Therapy As a Healthcare Professional?
ANF therapy®️ is a holistic approach integrated with the knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and neuroscience of the human body.
ANF Academy offers access to the FREE Pain Mastery Webinar to all healthcare professionals eager to grow their knowledge and practice!
Take this quiz to find out if you are qualified to join:
https://quiz.inflammationsecrets.com/sf/13bfbb85
About ANF Therapy®️
ANF Therapy®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.
The purpose of ANF Therapy is to alleviate injury and pain within minutes.
Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal non-invasive devices, NO needles or chemicals are used.