Is physio care good for age related joint pains?

Aqua therapy is the best, if you can find a therapist in your area. Take Advil or pain medication twenty minutes before you start to work your joints. Ease into it. Go slow. Don't give up! I have had two hip replacements and can now walk again.

Physiotherapy will indeed help IF you Mom continues to do her "homework".

My 86-year old Mom, too, complains of joint pain (in her knees). She has pretty good osteoarthritis in them, however, she won't consistently do exercises on her own. After a two week hospital stay after my Dad died 6 years ago, she went to PT rehab for 2 weeks, getting PT twice a day for two weeks in house. When she was discharged, she was practically "running" down the hall barely using her walker. PT told her to continue doing her exercises at home. Of course, with no one giving her the one-on-one attention like she was used to a rehab, she went home, sat down on the couch, watched TV and reverted to her routine of barely moving. This, consequently, caused her joints to stiffen up again and today, she can barely walk at a snail's pace.

It's frustrating as I cannot be there every day to cajole her into doing her exercises. She chooses not to and her resulting complaints of "my knees hurt" is starting to fall on deaf ears (mine). Over and over I've suggested to her to move her legs while she is sitting but she doesn't do it. (She really should have had knee replacements 20 years ago, but when I suggested that then, she balked about how she "didn't like surgery" and "ooooh, that will hurt".) Well, fast forward 20 years and she's constantly complaining about her knees. Guess what? She's not getting knee replacements now at 86 years old.

Certainly, I can get her primary care doctor to "order" PT but then it will fall on me to take her out in this horrible cold weather twice a week for PT. For what result? It will cost her multiple co-pays and she will again NOT do the exercises at home. I'm constantly spinning my wheels on this. I would gladly take her to physical therapy (she so enjoys the therapist's attention, of course) if she would continue to do her exercises at home. As it is, outpatient PT feels like an "outing" for her to socialize and many hours of inconvenience for me. Sorry I sound harsh, but you can feel my frustration. I don't know what else to do. Good luck.

Aqua therapy is contraindicated if you have osteoporosis. One needs weight-bearing exercise to fully get the benefits. I have been getting hyaluronic acid injections into my left knee and it feels great now. Try that.

Absolutely! Anytime you do exercise, you lubricate the joints thereby making them less painful.

"in house" meaning she stayed for 2 weeks in a rehab facility.

My mother also has a personal trainer come to her home twice weekly, which helps her arthritis. He talks her on walks if the weather is nice. Of course, that is not cheap but in her case, it is worth it. I now have the same condition in my knees and the things I do are try to lose weight, walk as much as I can stand, have personal training twice weekly, and get a shot every few months.

I forgot to mention pain relievers, such as Naproxin (Aleve over the counter). My mother takes Tramadol for her pain. Interestingly, our old dog also took Tramadol for arthritis.

I haved used Synvisc for several years for arthritic pain in my R knee. It works very well for a period of time. Mine has varied from 12 to 22 months. I am 81 years old.

help2day.....My Mom lives in Tucson....her MD wrote orders for 'in home' PT and there are agencies that send the therapist to the home to plan an exercise routine that can be done in the home or around the home. You might want to look into that. You might have to check on internet or phone book, make some calls and find the agency and then ask Dr. to write order for that agency? Worth looking into anyhow.

I agree with the comments about water therapy. I had a hip replacement two years ago and try to swim/water aerobics 4-5 times a week. I really notice it if I don't go--a little stiff and sore. Instead of going to PT facility, would she go to the Y or an aquatic center. My supplemental health insurance coverages a membership in a health club and I don't pay anything. Or Is there any way you can get a therapist to come to your moms home? If her PMD says that she is housebound maybe her insurance would cover it?