THE RED DOOR CLINIC · MELLIEĦA
Rheumatoid arthritis
A medical condition your doctor leads. Movement support can sit alongside that treatment — not instead of it.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition. A doctor leads the diagnosis and the medicines. Physiotherapy does not treat the disease and does not replace rheumatology care. At The Red Door Clinic in Mellieħa, we can help with joint movement, strength and pacing between flares, once your medical team is involved. If you have not been assessed for hot, swollen joints in several places, see a doctor before booking exercise.
Reviewed by Andrew George, Lead Physiotherapist · 5 October 2026
What a doctor leads
Diagnosis, blood tests, medicines and decisions about flares belong with your doctor or rheumatology team. We will not adjust medication, and we will not suggest doses. A pharmacist or doctor is the right person for medicine questions.
During a hot, swollen flare, hands-on work on that joint is usually left alone. Tell us if you are in a flare when you enquire.
What physiotherapy can support
Between flares, joints that do nothing get stiffer. A graded programme can keep shoulders, hands, hips and knees as usable as your medical picture allows. The plan respects fatigue, which is part of the condition for many people.
We coordinate with what your doctor has already advised. Bring that context to the assessment.
When to seek urgent care instead
Most muscle and joint pain is not an emergency. Go to accident and emergency, or call emergency services, if you have a suspected broken bone, a joint that looks deformed, pain after a significant fall, chest pain, trouble breathing, a head injury with confusion or vomiting, numbness in the saddle area, or loss of bladder or bowel control. A limb that is cold, pale or blue, or sudden severe swelling, also needs urgent medical care rather than a clinic appointment.
Pain in the shoulder or arm that arrives with chest pressure, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or feeling faint can be a heart symptom. Call emergency services. Do not wait for physiotherapy.
If you are unsure, use emergency services first. For everything else, contact the clinic and describe what happened. We do not diagnose by message.
How the clinic can help
A consultation and assessment with Andrew George, our lead physiotherapist, is €55, and follow-up physiotherapy is €45. The assessment looks at the movement that hurts and the story around it. You leave with a plain-language explanation and a plan that fits the week you actually have.
Where massage helps alongside physiotherapy, the clinic houses qualified massage therapists in the same building. Massage does not replace an assessment when pain, injury or a change in movement is the concern.
Book through the contact form, by phone on 2152 4199, or by WhatsApp on 7924 1880. Describe your symptoms and the team will help you choose the right first appointment.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Not sure where to start? Start with us.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Related conditions and next steps
A LITTLE CLARITY
Frequently asked questions
Can physiotherapy replace my rheumatology care?
No. A doctor leads medical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Physiotherapy may support movement around that care. It is not a substitute.
Should I exercise during a flare?
Usually you ease the flared joint and keep the rest of you moving gently, but that depends on your doctor’s advice. Tell us if you are flaring before you book.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.