Physiotherapy instead of surgery for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis does not necessarily require surgery

12/12/2011

Surgery is the last resort for osteoarthritis patients. Patients should first try to use other methods such as physical training and physiotherapy to get their symptoms under control before agreeing to a surgical procedure, according to a recent statement by the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists (IFK eV) in Bochum.

According to the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists, coordination, balance or muscle-building exercises in physiotherapy can significantly reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis patients. The success of individual surgical measures, however, according to the IFK experts citing the Remedy Report 2011 of the health insurance Barmer GEK rather doubtful. Therefore, in the opinion of the association it should always be attempted to use physiotherapeutic measures against osteoarthritis before the affected person goes under the knife.

With strength, coordination and endurance training against osteoarthritis
According to the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists, the various exercises of muscle and balance training are designed to alleviate the pain of osteoarthritis patients, to stimulate the cartilage metabolism and to restore the mobility of the joint in the long run. Under no circumstances should the affected persons in arthrosis fall into a restraint, as this aggravates the symptoms in the long term. Instead, patients will be advised to tackle osteoarthritis through targeted strength and coordination training, accompanied by endurance training, to strengthen the resilience of their musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. According to the experts, this would also significantly reduce the risk of back pain, chronic back pain and fibromyalgia. On the other hand, surgery often does not show the desired success according to the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists. As an example of little promising surgical intervention in osteoarthritis IFK calls, for example, the keyhole surgery in knee osteoarthritis. With the help of such interventions almost no improvement can be achieved for the patients, which is why physiotherapeutic measures are preferable here in any case, so the statement of the IFK based on the Remedy Report 2011 of Barmer GEK. (Fp)

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