September 8 is World Physical Therapy Day!

September 8 is World Physical Therapy Day!  World PT Day is held every year on 8 September, the day the World Physiotherapy was founded in 1951. World PT Day is a day when physical therapists can promote the profession to showcase the significant role the profession makes to the health and wellbeing of the global population and raise the profile of the profession. The day marks the unity and solidarity of the physical therapy community around the world.

The physical therapist and staff at Northern Rehab would like to take the opportunity to help raise awareness of the physical therapy profession that contributes to keeping people well, mobile, active, and independent. The focus for this year’s World PT Day is arthritis with an introduction to various forms of inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.

The following key arthritis facts are important to understand:

• Arthritis is defined as an acute or chronic joint inflammation. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, stiffness, and redness which may contribute to reduced function and dexterity. Arthritis isn’t a single condition; there are many different types.
• It can affect people of all ages and physical fitness – including children, teenagers, and athletes. Some forms of arthritis are more common in older people.
• The symptoms of arthritis can vary from week to week, and even from day to day.
• Regular physical activity and exercise are important in the management of all forms of inflammatory arthritis and offer numerous health benefits.
• Physical therapy is an important part of your overall treatment. A physical therapist will guide you on how to exercise safely, increase your activity levels, set goals, and find the right balance between rest and activity.
• It’s important to stay active and keep moving when you have arthritis. Physical therapists are part of a multidisciplinary team that can help you manage your arthritis. They will be able to assess your condition and abilities and guide you on how to keep active and help manage your symptoms.
• People with Rheumatoid Arthritis and other inflammatory joint disorders have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Healthy lifestyle choices, including regular physical activity, are important in the management of RA to reduce the risk of CVD.
• People with axial spondyloarthritis should be referred to a physical therapist to start an individualized, structured exercise program that is tailored to help maintain spinal flexibility, whole body flexibility, and reduce pain. Even when you have pain, continuing to exercise at a level that suits you will have significant benefits.
• Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and is often referred to as “wear and tear” type of arthritis that commonly occurs with aging joints or following joint injury. Only about a third of people living with osteoarthritis will get worse over time and some see an improvement in pain and disability. A physical therapist will be able to guide you on how to keep active.
• Arthritis is often associated with older people, but it can also affect children. Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Physical therapy forms an important role in the management of the symptoms of JIA and will help you/your child do the activities you like doing.

Through treatment, advice, education, and exercise programs, physical therapists support people of all ages to achieve activity goals. Northern Rehab’s physical therapists are highly trained medical professionals who are experts at helping people recover their mobility and function after an injury, pre- or post-surgery, a serious or chronic illness, muscle aches and pains including arthritis and more. Although it is important to keep your doctor informed about any changes in your symptoms, a physician’s prescription is not required to begin physical therapy treatment, so we can help you start feeling better right away and get you back to the activities you enjoy.

Learn more about arthritis treatment at Northern Rehab >>>

Enjoy these informational flyers on Arthritis; to download flyers, click here >>

To learn more about arthritis treatment at Northern Rehab, click here >>>

About World PT Day:
World PT Day is held every year on 8 September, the day the World Physiotherapy was founded in 1951. World PT Day is a day when physical therapists can promote the profession to showcase the significant role the profession makes to the health and wellbeing of the global population and raise the profile of the profession. The day marks the unity and solidarity of the physical therapy community around the world.