OSTEOARTHRITIS
Joint Pain & Stiffness
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Reduced movement and function
- Symptoms often aggravated by activity
Specialist assessment and personalised treatment can help manage symptoms and maintain function.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a common joint condition that can cause pain, stiffness and reduced function. It involves changes within the whole joint, including the cartilage, bone and surrounding tissues.
Symptoms can vary considerably between individuals and do not always correspond with changes seen on X-rays or scans. Osteoarthritis commonly affects the knees, hips, hands and other weight-bearing joints.
Condition: Osteoarthritis
Common Age: More common over 45 years
Symptoms: Pain, Stiffness, Reduced Function
Affected Area: Joints – commonly Knee, Hip & Hand
Treatment Options: Assessment, Exercise Therapy, Advice, Corticosteroid Injection*
Recovery: Long-term Condition – Symptoms Can Be Managed
Appointment: Specialist Musculoskeletal Assessment
*Where clinically appropriate.
This is more consistent with NICE than describing OA simply as “wear and tear”. NICE identifies therapeutic exercise as a core treatment and recommends considering intra-articular corticosteroid where other pharmacological treatments are ineffective/unsuitable or to support exercise, explaining that benefit is generally short term (2–10 weeks).
Symptoms & Treatment
Osteoarthritis commonly causes joint pain, stiffness and difficulty with everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, exercising or getting up from a chair. Symptoms may fluctuate, with periods when the joint is considerably more troublesome.
Treatment is based on your symptoms, function and individual goals rather than scan findings alone. Following a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment, treatment may include education, activity modification, tailored therapeutic exercise and appropriate pain-management strategies. Corticosteroid injection may be considered in selected patients for short-term symptom relief.
Treatment Benefits
A personalised management plan aims to reduce pain, improve movement and function, and help you remain active and independent.
Pain Management
Mobility & Movement
Function & Activity