For a client with severe painful osteoarthritis, a regimen of heat, massage, and exercise will:
1. Help relax muscles and relieve pain and stiffness
2. Restore range of motion previously lost
3. Prevent the inflammatory process
4. Help the client cope with pain effectively
Answer: 1
Physical therapy relaxes muscles and relieves the aching and stiffness of the involved joints. It usually does not restore lost range of motion, and it does not prevent inflammation. Physical therapy does make the client more comfortable, but it does not assist in coping with pain. (Lewis 8 ed, p. 1644).