Arthritis is one of the most common causes of joint pain, stiffness, and mobility issues in daily life. Whether you’re living with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, the right treatment plan can help you reduce pain, protect your joint health, and improve your overall wellbeing.
At our physiotherapy clinic in Bristol, we support patients with expert physical therapy, manual therapy, diagnostic ultrasound, shockwave therapy, joint injections and a wide range of evidence-based arthritis treatment options.
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Pain Relief
Arthritis pain can flare unpredictably, making everyday tasks and daily activities more difficult. A tailored physio approach focuses on personalised strategies to relieve pain, such as:
– Manual therapy to ease stiffness in the affected joints
– Dry needling to release tight muscles
– Cold therapy or a hot water bottle to manage inflammation
– Advice on pain management and safe physical activity guidelines
For persistent or severe symptoms, our clinic also offers joint injections to ease pain in the knee joint, hips, shoulders, and other lower limbs.
Knee Pain
The knee is one of the most commonly affected joints in arthritis. Knee pain can limit walking, standing, and climbing stairs, and may even cause weak muscles in the affected leg.
Our physiotherapists support patients with:
– Targeted exercises and strengthening exercises
– Range of motion exercises to restore joint flexibility
– Diagnostic ultrasound scans to assess internal structures
– Shockwave therapy for chronic soft-tissue pain around the knee
– Guidance to delay or recover from knee replacement surgery
Whether you’re hoping to stay active or avoid joint replacement surgery, we help you build achievable goals that protect the knee while improving function.
Arthritis Pain
Arthritis pain varies from mild discomfort to severe symptoms that make daily tasks challenging. If your symptoms worsen with too much exercise or long periods of rest, a physiotherapist can help you find the right balance to stay physically active safely.
We combine hands-on techniques with modern treatments, including shockwave therapy and dry needling, to help reduce pain and support long-term recovery.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, leading to inflammation, stiffness, and progressive joint damage. Early and consistent management is essential to protect joint function and maintain mobility.
At our Bristol clinic, we support patients with rheumatoid arthritis through a combination of targeted physiotherapy, hands-on-work, and personalised exercise plans designed to maintain strength and joint flexibility without triggering flare-ups. Dry needling and sports massage can help relieve muscle tension that develops around painful joints, while diagnostic ultrasound scans allow us to monitor inflammation and soft-tissue changes over time. For painful or swollen joints, steroid injections can provide effective relief, helping to reduce inflammation so you can stay active and continue your rehabilitation safely. Our goal is to stop your symptoms worsening by protecting the joints from further damage, and keeping you confident and mobile in daily life, whilst also improving your overall well being.
Physical Therapy
Physiotherapy plays a central role in helping patients manage arthritis, protect their joint function, and maintain independence in everyday activities. A physical therapist can help you:
– Understand how your immune system or biomechanics contribute to symptoms
– Create an exercise plan adapted to your lifestyle
– Strengthen the muscles around the affected stressed joints
– Improve posture, alignment, and body mechanics
– Stay active without risking further joint damage
At our clinic, your treatment plan can also help support your ability to perform daily life tasks safely.
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy helps improve circulation, reduce stiffness, and gently restore movement in painful joints. Techniques such as joint mobilisation, soft-tissue release, and stretching can reduce pain, improve joint function, and support healthy movement patterns.
Our physiotherapists use sports massage to address muscle tension that often develops around arthritic joints.
Arthritis Treatment
We provide a complete range of treatment options to support patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, including:
– Diagnostic ultrasound to assess soft-tissue and joint damage
– Shockwave therapy for chronic tendon and soft-tissue pain
– Dry needling and soft-tissue release
– Joint injections to offer targeted pain relief
– Tailored physiotherapy sessions with bespoke exercise prescription
– Long-term management strategies to prevent further damage to joints
Our holistic approach considers your general health, stress levels, and well being to support your overall recovery.
Aerobic Exercise
Low-impact aerobic exercise is essential for arthritis care. Activities like cycling, swimming, and walking help:
– Improve circulation
– Strengthen the heart and lungs
– Support a healthy weight
– Reduce pressure on the joints
– Improve overall well being
Your physiotherapist will guide you on the safest forms of physical activity and exercises, helping you stay active without increasing joint damage.
Further Joint Damage
Arthritis can lead to progressive joint damage, especially if the joints are overloaded or exposed to repetitive stress. Physiotherapy helps you learn:
– Safe movement patterns
– Proper posture and body mechanics
– Ways to avoid flare-ups or worsening pain
– Exercises that strengthen muscles and stabilise joints without strain
Our goal is always to protect your joints, help with pain management and maintain mobility for as long as possible.
Joint Damage
If arthritis, most commonly osteoarthritis, has already caused significant damage, physiotherapy can still help you maintain movement, reduce pain and prepare for potential surgery, such as knee replacement surgery, if needed.
A detailed ultrasound assessment can help us understand the state of the joint and guide the most effective treatment choices.
At Comfort Health we offer Steroid and Hyaluronic acid injections, these can play an important role in managing arthritis-related joint damage by reducing inflammation, easing pain, and improving joint lubrication. Steroid injections help calm inflammation inside the joint, which can relieve pain quickly and reduce irritation of the surrounding tissues, making it easier to stay active and participate in physiotherapy without aggravating the affected joints. They are commonly used in arthritis, including osteoarthritis, to reduce joint inflammation and provide short-term pain relief.
Hyaluronic acid injections work differently: they help restore the natural joint fluid that cushions and lubricates the joint surfaces. This can improve shock absorption, reduce friction, and support smoother movement, especially in conditions like knee osteoarthritis. Together, these injections can help slow the progression of symptoms, improve comfort during daily activities, and enhance the effectiveness of exercise-based rehabilitation aimed at protecting the joint from further damage. Hyaluronic acid injections are mainly used for osteoarthritis.
Assistive Devices
Sometimes, assistive devices are recommended to improve confidence and reduce strain, including:
– A walking aid for safety
– Bracing or supports for the knee or ankle
– Adaptive tools recommended by your Physiotherapist
These devices can help you stay active, complete everyday tasks, and protect the joints from overload.
Benefits of Physiotherapy
The benefits of physiotherapy for arthritis include:
– Better mobility and physical function
– Improved muscle strength from bespoke exercises
– Reduced pain levels
– Safer movement during daily activities
– Lower risk of flare-ups or injury
– Enhanced independence and quality of life
Physiotherapy is one of the most effective long-term strategies to manage symptoms of arthritis and stay active.
Improve Mobility
A key goal and benefit of physiotherapy is to help address mobility problems. This is achieved by improving mobility through enhancing joint flexibility, increasing strength, and restoring balance. We design personalised programmes that support your ability to walk and move freely in daily life.
Pain and Stiffness
Arthritis often causes ongoing pain and stiffness, especially in the morning or after rest. With a combination of exercise, hands-on therapy, and pain-relieving treatments such as joint injections, we help reduce stiffness and support comfortable, confident movement.
If you’re struggling with arthritis or joint pain, our Bristol physiotherapy team is here to help.