Arthritis:
Arthritis physical therapy for knees, hips, hands and back in Polk County
If stiff, aching joints are making walking, stairs or gripping harder, you're in the right place. Exercise is a first-line treatment for arthritis. At Core Rehabilitation's clinics in Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven, Florida, a licensed physical therapist builds a plan to ease pain and keep you doing what you enjoy.
Serving Lake Wales · Haines City · Winter Haven
What's actually going on: Arthritis: the short version
Arthritis means pain and swelling or wear in a joint, and it's common: about 1 in 5 US adults has it, according to the CDC. The most common type is osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones thins over time. It shows up most in the knees, hips, hands and spine.
Rheumatoid arthritis is different. It's an autoimmune disease that causes swelling in several joints, often the small joints of the hands and feet, and a rheumatologist treats it with medicine. Other types include gout and psoriatic arthritis. Physical therapy helps with all of them, alongside your doctor's care.
Arthritis pain doesn't always match what an X-ray shows. People with similar X-rays can feel very different. Strong muscles, regular movement and a healthy weight make a real difference to how a joint feels, and that's where physical therapy comes in.
When joint pain needs to be checked first
Most arthritis pain is safe to assess with a physical therapist, but a few signs need a doctor first. If any of these apply, see a doctor or go to urgent care before you book physical therapy.
A single joint that suddenly becomes hot, red and very swollen, especially with a fever. This can be an infection or gout, and it needs a doctor the same day.
Swelling and morning stiffness lasting more than an hour in several joints, especially the hands, that no doctor has looked at. See your doctor or a rheumatologist to check for inflammatory arthritis; physical therapy can start alongside.
A joint that gave way or locked after a fall or injury, or you can't put weight on the leg.
Fever, unexplained weight loss or feeling generally unwell along with joint pain.
If none of these apply, physical therapy is a safe and reasonable place to start.
How we help: How physical therapy treats arthritis
Physical therapy for arthritis starts with an evaluation of the joints that bother you. Your therapist checks how far they move, how strong the muscles around them are, and how you walk, balance, get up from a chair and use your hands. They ask what arthritis stops you from doing, so the plan targets your goals.
Treatment centers on exercise you can keep doing: strengthening for the muscles that support the joint, gentle range-of-motion work, low-impact conditioning such as cycling or walking, and balance training. Hands-on care can ease stiffness so you move further. For flare-ups, your therapist may use heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation or taping, and teaches you ways to protect your joints and pace your day. For hand arthritis, grip and finger exercises help with jars, buttons and keys.
The 2019 American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation guideline strongly recommends exercise for knee and hip osteoarthritis, and the American College of Rheumatology also recommends regular exercise for people with rheumatoid arthritis (2022 guideline). Exercise is low risk and works alongside medicine, injections or surgery.
"Won't exercise wear out my joints faster?"
No. The right exercise strengthens the muscles that protect your joints, and the guidelines recommend it for osteoarthritis. Your therapist starts at a level your joints tolerate and builds up gradually. A little soreness is expected; a lasting flare isn't.
"Isn't arthritis just part of getting older?"
Arthritis gets more common with age, but how much it limits you isn't fixed. Strength, regular movement and a healthy weight change how a joint feels day to day.
How long it lasts: Does arthritis go away?
Osteoarthritis doesn't go away, but the pain often comes and goes, and it can get better. Many people notice easier walking or stairs within a few weeks of regular exercise, and keeping up a home routine afterwards keeps the gains.
If a joint keeps getting worse despite treatment, your therapist will tell you, and an orthopedic doctor can talk through injections or joint replacement.
What to expect: How long does it take to feel better?
Arthritis is a long-term condition, so the goal is less pain, better movement and a home routine you can keep. Results differ from person to person. After your evaluation, your therapist will tell you what's realistic for you.
Your first visit is a conversation about which joints hurt, what makes them better or worse and what you want to get back to. Then comes testing. It usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes. A licensed physical therapist does your first evaluation and writes your plan of care. Between therapist visits, a physical therapist assistant may treat you under that plan. Here's what your first visit involves →
Early on, the focus is calming sore joints and finding exercises you can do without a flare.
As you progress, strength, balance and endurance work helps with stairs, low chairs, longer walks and everyday tasks, and you leave with a plan to keep going on your own.
Before you come in, wear loose, comfortable clothes that let your therapist see the joint, and bring a list of your medicines and any X-rays or reports.
Who treats it: Who treats arthritis: a physical therapist, a rheumatologist or an orthopedic doctor?
Your doctor or a rheumatologist diagnoses the type of arthritis and manages your medicine; rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory types always need a rheumatologist. An orthopedic doctor offers injections or joint replacement when they're needed.
A physical therapist helps with strength, movement, balance and pain, at any stage. In Florida you can book directly, without a referral.
Related care: Where to go next
Where to get treated: Arthritis physical therapy at our Winter Haven, Lake Wales and Haines City clinics
Winter Haven: 3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, about a mile from LEGOLAND Florida. Mon–Fri 9–12 and 1–5. 863-268-6523.
Lake Wales: 2031 State Rd 60 East, at SR 60 and Buck Moore Rd. Mon–Fri 8–12 and 1–5. 863-678-0705.
Haines City: 50 Maxcy Plaza Circle, just off US 27. Mon–Fri 8–12 and 1–5. 863-421-2000.
Every clinic treats arthritis of the knees, hips, hands, shoulders and spine, and Spanish-speaking staff are available. Most new patients get a first appointment within a few days to three weeks.
Common questions about arthritis
Can physical therapy help arthritis?
Yes. Exercise is a first-line treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis, and the American College of Rheumatology recommends regular exercise for rheumatoid arthritis too. Your physical therapist builds a plan to strengthen the muscles around your joints, ease stiffness and keep you active.
What exercises are good for arthritis?
Strengthening for the muscles around the joint, gentle range-of-motion exercises, low-impact activity such as walking, cycling or water exercise, and balance work help most people. Your therapist picks the ones that suit your joints and shows you how much to do.
Can physical therapy make arthritis worse?
It shouldn't. Some soreness after new exercise is normal, but it should settle within a day. Your therapist adjusts the plan if a joint flares, so you build up without lasting setbacks.
Does physical therapy help knee arthritis?
Yes. For mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons strongly recommends exercise to improve pain and function. More on knee pain.
Does Medicare cover physical therapy for arthritis?
Yes, when it's medically necessary. We're in network with Medicare and more than 200 other plans at all three clinics. Medicare has no hard yearly cap on physical therapy visits; past a yearly amount, your therapist confirms in your records that you still need care.
Where can I get arthritis physical therapy in Winter Haven?
At Core Rehabilitation, 3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, Winter Haven (863-268-6523). We also treat arthritis at our Lake Wales and Haines City clinics.
Do I need a referral for arthritis treatment?
No. In Florida you can start physical therapy without a physician's referral. If you need treatment beyond 30 days for a problem no doctor has assessed, a doctor must review and sign your plan of care.
Request an appointment
Tell us a little about you and your preferred location, and our team will reach out to schedule your visit. Prefer to talk? Call the clinic nearest you.
Lake Wales · 863-678-0705
Haines City · 863-421-2000
Winter Haven · 863-268-6523