Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that affects about one in 1,000 children in the United States, according to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The causes of JRA remain somewhat unclear, but might result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Children with JRA may experience joint pain and stiffness, limited range of motion, and muscle weakness. Treatment for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis usually involves a combination of exercise therapy such as flexibility and strength training, and occupational therapy such as deep tissue massage and ultrasound therapy. Consult your physician to determine what kind of long-term rehabilitation program is right for your child.
Flexibility Training
Flexibility training can help enhance your child's range of motion around the joints that are stiff because of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Flexibility training will increase the elasticity of the tendons and ligaments that support and stabilize the joints of your child's body. Increasing their elasticity will take pressure off of a joint that is swollen, or is supported by chronically tight muscles due to the secondary effects of rheumatoid arthritis. A physical therapist will prescribe proper flexibility training exercises that are specific to your child's needs.
Strength-training
Strength-training involves using muscles in such a way that they increase in size and strength. Increasing your child's muscle strength can remove excess pressure that is placed on joints as a result of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Strength-training uses resistance provided by your own body weight, resistance bands, free weights, or weight training machines. Your child's physical therapist will provide you with an exercise prescription, outlining the types of resistance training exercises recommended for your child's condition.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage can help decrease swelling, remove loose cell parts, and break up collagen that has formed around your child's arthritic joints. Deep tissue massage involves a qualified professional massaging your muscles and joints around the area of your arthritis in effort to relieve pressure. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause the buildup of fluids, cellular waste, and a fibrous tissue called collagen, all of which can lead to pain, discomfort, and a loss of range of motion around your joint.
Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound therapy can be used to relieve chronic pain and promote tissue healing because of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Ultrasound therapy is a technique used by your child's physical therapist that involves the use of a hand-held device that comes in contact with the surface of your skin and transmits sound waves that penetrate the soft tissues of your child's body. The sound waves cause a rapid vibration in the soft tissues surrounding your joints, thereby promoting the removal of cellular waste and promote the body's natural healing process.
References
- Cincinnati Children's; Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis; 2011
- "Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques (5th edition)"; Carolyn Kisner and Lynn Colby; 2007
