Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis (inflammation of the joint). It occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones within the joint wears down over time.  Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the most common affected joints are the knees, hips, spine and hands.

Click to watch video on Osteoarthritis by Nucleus Health

Causes

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage which helps cushion the bones of the joints (like shock absorbers in a car) gets worn down leaving the bones to rub on each other causing pain.  Risk factors include

• Old age (due to wear & tear)
• Joint injuries from trauma or sports
• Overweight (extra weight in the body wear down the joints faster)
• Repetitive high impact stress (such as running or jumping on hard surfaces)
• Abnormal posture
• Genetic predisposition

Stages of Osteoarthritis

Symptoms

These symptoms develop gradually over time due to overuse or injury.

• Pain especially during or after movement
• Tenderness when pressure is applied on the joint
• Loss of joint flexibility or decreased range of movement
• Grating or scraping sensation on joint movement
• Swelling around the joint
• Bone spurs (hard lumps) around the joint
• Joint stiffness

Treatment

1. Self improvement with help of your physiotherapist or fitness trainer

• Losing weight to reduce the stress on the knee joints
• Low impact exercise to strengthen the muscles around the knee joints
• Movement and stretching therapy such as yoga
• Knee braces or special shoes to correct any abnormal posture
• Ice pack to reduce swelling

2. Pain relief can be in the form of

• Oral painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication
• Steroid injection into the knee
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

3. Increase synovial fluid

• Oral glucosamine or supplements may help
• Injection of hyaluronic acid into the knee

4. Knee joint surgery

• Joint resurfacing surgery
• Osteotomy to remove bony spurs
• Knee replacement surgery

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If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.