Residents of Kisii County have been urged to seek the services of physiotherapists for the prevention and management of arthritis.
Speaking during the commemoration of World Physiotherapists Day, whose theme was inflammatory arthritis, Kisii Physiotherapist, Caroline Kwamboka said the celebration was meant to create awareness about the role of physiotherapy in keeping people healthy.
She said with adequate public awareness, physiotherapists will have it easier working with patients to fight arthritis, which is a global health challenge.
Kwamboka noted that arthritis brings with it pain, affects mobility, and also decreases the quality of life of those who suffer from it. “As physiotherapists, it is our responsibility to improve the lives of individuals grappling with this condition, and our approach must extend beyond addressing the physical aspects of arthritis; we must also consider the emotional and psychological wellbeing of our patients,” she stated.
The physiotherapist added that they mostly participate in relieving fatigue from the body, assisting those living with disabilities to walk again, and also training individuals on exercises to keep the body fit.
The celebration was marked with a walk across the streets of Kisii town by a section of physiotherapists. It started and ended at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, where the team converged to discuss the prevention and management of the condition.
Dina Sarange, who has been suffering from the disease since childhood, confessed that she had no knowledge about arthritis until she visited a local clinic for a regular body checkup, and the result turned out positive for the disease.
Since then, she has begun her treatment journey and has been visiting hospitals, both foreign and local.
Sarange said those with arthritis suffer from stigma in society, but she encouraged patients like her to be courageous and seek medication.
Concerns are now being raised over the rising prevalence of arthritis in Kenya, with medical practitioners saying that an estimated nine million people are at risk of permanent disability after suffering from arthritis.
By Warren Christopher and Simon Nyabuto
