Arthritis Education

While arthritis can be painful and uncomfortable, there are ways to reduce arthritis pain and increase your mobility and strength.

How Does Arthritis Affect My Body?

As we age, most of us will begin to experience arthritis in at least some parts of our bodies. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis.

Typically, arthritis affects weight-bearing joints, including:

Arthritis can also affect younger people who have had an injury or overuse of a joint. It is a common cause of many orthopedic problems, including:

At Baptist Health, we offer the full range of therapies to treat and relieve arthritis pain, including:

Physical therapy: Our physical therapists can teach you how to perform your daily activities in ways that are less stressful to your painful joints. Learn more about physical therapy and rehab at Baptist Health Louisville.
Aquatic therapy: Aquatic therapy, or hydrotherapy, helps strengthen your joints and improves your flexibility. Exercise helps to relieve joint stiffness and can help if you have arthritis.
Arthritis medications: Other types of treatment and medication may slow arthritis or control the symptoms though they do not cure it.
Surgery: When initial treatments fail, you may want to consider a surgical procedure. The options include arthroscopy and total joint replacement.

We offer these classes at Baptist Health/Milestone Wellness Center as part of the Arthritis/Fibromyalgia Program:

Water Wellness: Strengthening, toning and stretching using your full range of motion
- For more information about the class, contact: Aquatics director Mary Duke Connell 502.896.3900, ext. 132
Body Wellness: Designed for mature adults, people who have lost muscle tone/flexibility or are in a recuperative phase. Based on slow, precise movements, the exercises can be performed while sitting, standing or lying on the floor.
Masters/Low Impact: This class is designed specifically for seniors. Includes cardiovascular conditioning and resistive training.

For more information about Body Wellness, Masters/Low Impact and other classes offered at Milestone Wellness Center, contact:

Group exercise director Sue Schonberger