People with osteoarthritis (OA) are at risk for increased pain, reduced mobility, poor sleep, depression, anxiety, and a higher risk of falls and fractures, leading to disability. Beyond joint-specific issues, OA is linked to higher risks of serious systemic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, often due to inactivity and inflammation.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition. It causes pain, swelling and stiffness, affecting a person's ability to move freely. Osteoarthritis affects the entire joint, including the tissues around it. It is most common in the knees, hips, spine and hands.
Under the Social Security Administration's (SSA) rules, certain defined conditions qualify you for disability benefits. Osteoarthritis is one of them.
There is no cure for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and typically patients live approximately 30-years with the disease. Most common medical treatments result in short-term palliation of symptoms with little consideration of long-term risk.
Of those studies, the most commonly reported cause of death is due to CVD. Cardiovascular disease has been closely linked to OA and is thought to be one of the major causes of morbidity among those with OA, with previous reports showing increased CVD in those with OA (21, 28–30).
Complications. Osteoarthritis is a disease that worsens over time, often resulting in chronic pain. Joint pain and stiffness can become severe enough to make daily tasks difficult. Depression and sleep disturbances can result from the pain, stiffness and mobility issues of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis risk factors
Adults older than 55 and people who are in postmenopause are more likely to develop osteoarthritis. People with certain health conditions are more likely to experience osteoarthritis, including: Obesity (having a body mass index, or BMI, greater than 30) or overweight (having a BMI over 25).
Osteoarthritis progresses through four stages, from Stage 1 (Minor) with slight cartilage wear and minimal pain, to Stage 2 (Mild) with more noticeable bone spurs and stiffness, then to Stage 3 (Moderate) where cartilage erodes, causing pain and inflammation, and finally to Stage 4 (Severe), characterized by bone-on-bone contact, significant cartilage loss, severe pain, and limited mobility, often requiring surgery.
The most common triggers of an OA flare are overdoing an activity or trauma to the joint. Other triggers can include bone spurs, stress, repetitive motions, cold weather, a change in barometric pressure, an infection or weight gain.
Pain can for some people be so mild they hardly notice it whilst for others it can be so severe that their mobility and way of life is affected. It is at this stage that you can find that the osteoarthritis can confine you to a wheelchair.
What to Avoid to Slow the Progression of Osteoarthritis. High-impact sports Avoid sports or exercises that involve repetitive jumping or heavy impact, such as football, basketball, tennis, marathon running, or high-intensity aerobic workouts. These activities can worsen joint pain and lead to further joint damage.
Pain caused by osteoarthritis can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medications reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Examples of NSAIDs include diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen. Two other anti-inflammatory painkillers with a similar effect are celecoxib and etoricoxib.
Swelling Around the Joint: Inflammation can cause visible puffiness, warmth, or tenderness in affected joints, contributing to both pain and limited function. Tenderness to Touch: Even light pressure on a joint may feel uncomfortable during a flare. This heightened sensitivity can make daily tasks more challenging.
Foods to Avoid
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness, and problems moving the joint. Some people also have symptoms such as: swelling. tenderness.
if you do not have a job and cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance. if you're aged 64 or under and need help with personal care or have walking difficulties, you may be eligible for the Personal Independence Payment.
It is not an infectious or contagious condition. Osteoarthritis is primarily a localized condition that occurs within a specific joint. However, it is important to note that while osteoarthritis does not spread from joint to joint, it can affect multiple joints in the body simultaneously.
Though both conditions are persistent and painful, RA is considered more problematic and painful. Without the right treatment, it can damage our joints quicker than OA, making it more it more dangerous and disabling in the long run.
Several nutritional supplements have shown promise for relieving pain, stiffness and other arthritis symptoms. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just some of the natural products researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Walking is often recommended for people with arthritis because it's a low-impact exercise that keeps the joints flexible, helps bone health, and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Want to put your best foot forward? Here David Pilbury, Clinical Physiotherapist, answers your questions about walking with arthritis.
As of 2025, PRP has moved beyond being an experimental therapy. It is now recognized as one of the leading biologic options for knee osteoarthritis. Ongoing studies are exploring how PRP can be combined with stem cell therapy or other regenerative techniques to further enhance outcomes.
OA is not an autoimmune disorder. It is primarily caused by aging, injury, or overuse, which causes wear-and-tear on cartilage in the joint. With an autoimmune disease, on the other hand, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissue and causes health issues.
OA can affect any joint, but typically affects hands, knees, hips, lower back and neck. Its signs and symptoms typically show up more often in individuals over age 50, but OA can affect much younger people, too, especially those who have had a prior joint injury, such as a torn ACL or meniscus.
The best treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) is a personalized, multi-faceted approach focusing on non-surgical methods like exercise, weight management, physical therapy, and pain relievers (acetaminophen, NSAIDs), with assistive devices and lifestyle changes to improve function and reduce pain, reserving surgery for severe cases. There's no single "best" treatment, but a combination of these therapies offers the most effective way to manage symptoms and maintain an active life, notes the Arthritis Foundation and the Mayo Clinic.
Primary osteoarthritis has no known cause. Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by another disease, infection, injury, or deformity. Osteoarthritis starts with the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. As the cartilage wears down, the bone ends may thicken and form bony growths (spurs).