What is osteoarthritis (OA)?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term condition where your joints can become painful and stiff. This can limit your movement and ability to do things.

OA can affect one or several of your joints. The joints most often affected by OA are your:

• knees
• hips
• fingers
• spine

The whole joint can be affected by OA. This includes the:

• cartilage
• bone
• synovial membrane (lining of the joint)
• synovial fluid (fluid in the joint)
• ligaments
• tendons

How common is OA?

OA is very common. It becomes more common as you get older. It's more common in females than males.

OA is not the same as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, which are both autoimmune conditions.

OA can develop at any age, but it's more common in people over the age of 40 to 50 years.

What are the symptoms of OA?

The main symptoms of OA are joint pain and stiffness.

Joint pain may get worse with activity and feel better with rest. The affected joints can sometimes be red and swollen.

Other symptoms can include:

• problems with moving your joints
• clicking noises or grating sensations when moving a joint
• weakness of affected joints

Symptoms usually get worse slowly, over time. Sometimes symptoms can get worse suddenly.

Depending on which joints are affected, having OA can make it harder for you to:

• walk
• climb stairs
• do other daily activities

What causes OA?

The exact cause of OA is not known.

Your risk of developing increases as you get older. Other factors that increase your risk are:

• having family members with OA
• being female
• being overweight
• having had a previous injury to a joint, such as a dislocation
• doing a physically demanding job or activity that can lead to joint damage over time (such as heavy lifting or manual labour)

When should I see my doctor?

Talk to your doctor if you have pain in your joints.

How is OA diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine you to work out if you might have OA.

Tests are not usually needed to diagnose OA. Your doctor might arrange tests if it's not clear what type of arthritis you have.

Your doctor may refer you for tests such as:

• an x-ray of the painful joint or joints
• blood tests

How is OA treated?

There is no cure for OA, but many people can manage their symptoms well. Treating joint pain and stiffness can help you manage your daily activities.

Healthcare professionals that can help with OA can include:

• your doctor
• a physiotherapist
• a dietitian
• a psychologist
• an occupational therapist
• a rheumatologist (specialist in joint problems)
• an orthopaedic surgeon (doctor who operates on joints)

The type of treatment recommended for you will depend on your symptoms and which joint or joints are affected.

Regular exercise

Regular exercise is important for people with OA. It keeps your joints and muscles healthy and flexible, and can help reduce pain.

In general, exercise can include:

• Muscle stretches or yoga — to help maintain or improve your flexibility.
• Muscle strengthening — exercises with weights and resistance bands improve your muscle strength, which takes pressure off your joints, strengthens your bones and improves your balance.
• Activities like brisk walking, swimming or cycling — to improve your general fitness.

It's a good idea to choose low-impact activities that don't put a lot of stress on your joints.

Choose activities that you enjoy and are convenient for you to do. Talk to your physiotherapist about how to start an exercise program that is right for you.

Healthy eating and weight loss

There is no diet that will cure OA. A balanced diet helps to keep you healthy.

Extra body weight increases stress on many joints — especially your knees, hips and lower back.

If you are overweight, losing weight can help decrease pain and limit further damage to your joints.

Special devices and footwear

Walking sticks can help to reduce the load on your hips and knees and reduce pain when moving about.

Some people with knee OA try:

• heat or cold packs
• taping the joint
• wearing a brace
• using shoe insoles that adjust how you stand and walk

It's not clear whether these are helpful.

Ask your physiotherapist or an occupational therapist for advice about using aids or supports.

Pain management

It can be helpful to understand how your OA pain works and your own response to it. A psychologist may be able to help you manage pain with cognitive behaviour therapy.

You can also try acupuncture for pain relief.

Pain-relief medicines can include:

• paracetamol
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), which can be used as creams or gels that you apply to the skin over your painful joint, or you can take tablets

Check with your doctor if these medicines are suitable for you. NSAIDs have many potential side effects, such as stomach ulcers and bleeding, kidney problems and heart problems.

An injection of corticosteroid medicine into a painful joint can give you pain relief for a few weeks, depending on which joint is affected. However, there is a limit to how many injections you can have.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the best pain relief for you and how to use it.

Surgery

If your symptoms are affecting your daily activities and can't be managed in other ways, your doctor may refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon.

There are several different types of surgery for OA. Joint replacement surgery may be recommended for some people.

Can I prevent OA?

You can help reduce your risk of developing OA by:

• Avoiding joint injuries or overuse — a sports injury prevention program may help.
• Having rehabilitation for knee injuries.
• Maintaining a healthy weight — by eating a healthy diet and exercising.

Complications of OA

Complications of OA can include:

• poor sleep due to pain
• restrictions performing daily tasks
• reduced ability to exercise
• a higher risk of falls in older people
• anxiety and depression

As OA is a long-term condition. You may feel anxious, frustrated or upset about how it is affecting your life. Talk with a friend, your doctor or a psychologist if you need help and support.

Resources and support

Visit the Arthritis Australia website for information about osteoarthritis and advice on living with arthritis. There is also information in languages other than English.

You can also call Arthritis Australia on 1800 011 041.

MyJointPain is a free app from Arthritis Australia to help you track your OA and get long-term relief.

If you have OA of your knee, you can use this guide developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to help you discuss the main treatment options with your doctor.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.