• Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• Gout
• Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Arthritis can present in different ways for each individual, but the most common symptoms are:

• Pain
• Stiffness or reduced movement of a joint
• Redness, warmth and/or swelling in a joint.

For the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), there is strong evidence that the best ‘first-line’ treatment approach is a combination of exercise, weight loss and education. Medications can be prescribed by a doctor to help aid your ability to exercise, and surgery should be considered a last resort, when everything else has been tried. It is important to take a proactive approach by seeing your GP who can refer you to a team of health professionals for specific advice.

According to Arthritis Australia, anyone can get arthritis, including children and young people. In Australia, one in six people have arthritis and two thirds of people with arthritis are aged between 15 and 60. Arthritis can affect people from all backgrounds, ages and lifestyles.

In Australia, a referral is not required to be able to see an allied health professional such as a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or exercise physiologist, although it is often helpful for you to bring as much information about your health history as well as any specific medical or surgical details that relate to your reason for seeing a physiotherapist. There are a few exceptions to this, where you will need to obtain a referral from your GP prior to attending our clinic. This includes:

• Workers Compensation Claims 
• CTP (Third Party) Road Accident Claims
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Claims
• Medicare Claims (e.g. Chronic Disease Management referral)