Osteoarthritis

We get asked a lot about osteoarthritis, so this week we thought we would answer your most common questions!

What is osteoarthritis?

There are many types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is the most common type. Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide. Commonly known as ‘wear and tear’ of your joints. Most commonly affected, because they are weight bearing joints, are the hips, knees and spine, but can also affect the hands and feet. 

What happens to my joints in osteoarthritis?

It occurs when the protective layer that covers your joints (cartilage) all over your body, wears down over time. Cartilage is a firm material that acts to reduce friction and is a shock absorber in your joints. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes less stiff and less elastic which makes it more prone to damage as it is less malleable. As these changes in the cartilage occur, the surrounding tendons, ligaments and muscles have to compensate to the changes, which often can cause pain. The reduced joint space and decreased cartilage will reduce the range of motion in the joint. 

With osteoarthritis, some things you may notice include:

• Joint aching or soreness

• Joint swelling
• A grating sensation upon movement
• Pain with prolonged exercise 
• Stiffness in joints in the morning or after inactivity
• Bony growth or enlargement 
• Falls (those with osteoarthritis have an increased risk of falls, by around 30%!)
• Sleep disturbance
• Chronic pain
• Difficulty with daily tasks

What things may contribute to osteoarthritis?

• Obesity – by increasing the stress on your joints can increase the chances of osteoarthritis
• Injury – repetitive injuries to joints can damage the healing and quality of your cartilage 
• Joint overuse – overuse use, such as repetitive kneeling or twisting may increase the chances of osteoarthritis
• Hereditary factors – some factors can affect your chances of osteoarthritis, such as how good your cartilage is or some joint abnormalities such as scoliosis 
• Sex – woman are more likely to develop osteoarthritis 
• Other factors such as age, activities, occupation, overall health and medical history can also contribute to the likelihood of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis and exercise 

A common piece of advice for osteoarthritis that is discussed is exercise. Exercise can help by improving joint movement and to strengthen the surrounding muscles which will help support your joints. Staying a healthy weight also can help reduce excessive force being placed onto your joints, especially in your lower body. Low impact, gentle exercise such as swimming and walking are good exercise and may be the most comfortable if you experience pain from osteoarthritis. Moderate strength training two times per week may help to support the arthritic joints. Avoid exercises that cause a lot of pain – these may be things like running.