Physical Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Shoulder

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that results in the inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues, according to the National institutes of Health. This condition sometimes affects one or both of the shoulders and may spread to various joints or organs. There is no known cause or cure for RA, but physical therapy (along with prescription drugs) is the typical treatment used to control the disease. Often these therapies must be practiced for a lifetime.

Range of Motion Exercises

• Do a daily routine of range of motion exercises to help restore flexibility and reduce pain associated with RA in the shoulders.
  Do shoulder abductions by sitting in a chair with your arms down to your side. Raise your thumbs up and lift your arms out to your side with the palms facing forward. Hold the arms out at shoulder level and count to three and relax, returning the arms to your sides. Do this exercise from five to 20 times.
  Work on getting the arm up over your head by sitting in a chair with the stiff arm lying gently on a table. Lean forward, allowing the arm to slide on the table away from you. As you lower your head to the tabletop, you should feel a stretch in the shoulder. Hold the lowest position for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise five times, according to the University of Washington Orthopaedics.
  Reach across your body as far as your stiff shoulder will allow you to go. Increase the stretch by pulling on the elbow with the other hand. Hold the stretches for 10 seconds and repeat five times.

Hot and Cold

• Reduce stiffness and pain associated with RA in the shoulder by using hot or cold therapy. Cold packs can reduce swelling and numb a painful area, while heat can relax the muscles to provide pain relief, according to the University of Washington Orthopaedics.
  Use an ice pack or a frozen bag of vegetables wrapped in a towel and place it on your shoulder. Do not place it directly on bare skin, because it can damage the skin by freezing it. Do not treat the skin with cold for more than 20 minutes to avoid problems such as frostbite. Always allow the skin to return to normal temperature before applying another kind of treatment.
  Heating pads and Jacuzzis are both examples of heat therapy devices. This treatment should be limited to no more than 20 minutes as well, and heating pads should not be slept on because of risks of burning.
  After hot or cold therapy is performed, always remember to check the skin for any swelling or discoloration, thoroughly dry the area and gently flex the shoulder to reduce stiffness as it returns to normal temperature.