Physiotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not just “joint pain”. It is your own immune system attacking the lining of your joints. That’s why mornings can feel stiff, fingers may swell, or even simple acts like cooking, buttoning a shirt, or hugging your child can suddenly feel heavy.

Medicines are important to control inflammation.

But here’s the truth: medicine alone cannot give you movement back. That’s where physiotherapy steps in—helping you move with less pain, protect your joints, and keep living life on your terms.

Why Physiotherapy Matters

The way you use your joints today decides how they’ll serve you tomorrow. Physiotherapy is not about “pushing through pain”; it’s about teaching your body to move smarter, not harder.

With the right plan, physiotherapy can help you:

• Reduce daily pain and stiffness

• Maintain flexibility so you don’t feel “locked in”

• Build protective muscle strength

• Prevent long-term deformities in fingers, knees, or spine

• Stay independent in doing the things you love

How It Actually Helps

A personalized program may include:

• Gentle range-of-motion work to keep joints moving freely

• Light strengthening of arms, legs, and trunk to support fragile joints

• Joint protection techniques (like holding objects differently or using adapted tools in the kitchen)

• Hydrotherapy—exercises done in warm water to move without pressure

• Heat or cold therapy for comfort during flares

• Splints or braces to support fingers, wrists, or knees and prevent deformities

A Story That Stays With Me

One of my patients, Mrs. Anita, was a 42-year-old schoolteacher. She came in almost in tears—her hands hurt so much she could barely hold a pen. Together we worked on:

• Simple hand-strengthening drills

• Adjusting her writing position

• Custom splints to support her joints

A month later, she was writing again—slowly at first, but without pain. Today she teaches full-time. She says, “Physiotherapy gave me back my classroom.”

Flare-Ups vs. Calm Days

RA has two faces—flare and remission. Knowing how to handle both makes all the difference.

• Flare-ups: Rest your joints, use hot packs, and stick to gentle movement only.

• Calm days: Build your strength, practice flexibility, and push a little further.

Physiotherapy won’t cure rheumatoid arthritis. But it can give you something more powerful: freedom. Freedom to cook a meal, hold a pen, play with your child, or simply walk without wincing. Freedom to reclaim moments you thought RA had stolen. Because healing is not always about eliminating the disease—it’s about finding joy, strength, and dignity while living with it.