Osteoarthritis

World Physiotherapy Day -8th September 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability.

• Worldwide, over 520 million people live with OA.

• 60% of all OA cases are for knee OA

• In a global study of 291 conditions, hip and knee OA was ranked as the 11th highest contributor to disability

• 9.6 million years were lived with disability from OA around the world in 2017

• 48% increase in the number of people affected globally with OA from 1990 to 2019

What is OA?

OA is the most common joint condition. It is not caused by "wear and tear" but is a disease that interferes with how the cartilage in our joints repairs itself. It can affect any joint, most commonly the knees, hips, and hands. OA is characterized by:

• pain;

• functional impairments;

• muscle weakness;

• joint stiffness;

• reduced health-related quality of life

What causes OA?

The exact cause of OA is still unclear. Risk factors that increase the risk of OA include:

• Overweight/obesity

• previous joint injury and/or surgery

• Genetics

• Age

• Being a women

Symptoms of OA

Symptoms of OA include:

• activity-related joint pain

• morning joint-related stiffness

Contrary to popular belief, there is not a strong relationship between OA symptoms and x-rays or MRI scans. Some people may have a lot of joint changes on x-ray but experience very little pain.

How can physiotherapy help OA?

Exercise and physical activity are safe and effective in the management of OA. It is appropriate for everyone, irrespective of age, the severity of OA symptoms, or the level of disability. Avoiding exercise will make your joints stiffer and your muscles weaker, thus making your symptoms worse. The physiotherapist will prescribe an exercise program to suit the needs of the individual and to ensure that the exercises are achievable and safe. Physiotherapists also provide advice and education on pain relief and ways to manage OA.

Benefits of Exercise:

• Reduce joint stiffness

• Improve muscle strength

• Improve your walking and physical function

• Improve your balance and reduce the risk of falls

• Delay or prevent joint replacement

• Delay or prevent functional decline

• Reduce joint pain

• Help maintain a healthy body weight

If you need to have a joint replacement, you are also likely to see a physiotherapist before and after the operation. The physiotherapist will help prepare you to get the maximum benefit from the surgery, and help you recover well after surgery.

Prevention and early treatment

Prevention and early treatment are pivotal as for some people, OA worsens over time. Even if you already have OA, there are steps you can take right now to stop it from getting worse and to improve your quality of life and well-being.

• Regular exercise- lowers your risk of OA, hip fractures, risk of falls in older adults and can prevent or delay the need for surgery.

• Rehabilitation (involving exercise therapy) after joint injury- keeps the muscle around the joint strong, and ensures return to recommended levels of physical activity.

• Maintain a healthy body weight to avoid excessive load on the joints.

• Prevent joint injuries- speak to a physiotherapist who can advise on an individualized training program to reduce the risk of knee injuries.

• Running and exercise are generally safe. Running may actually protect you from hip and knee arthritis.