The word ‘arthritis’ means joint inflammation. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects the cartilage (the shock absorbing material on the joint surfaces that normally separates two bones) of the joints and bone tissue next to it.
Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint but is more common in knees, hips, hands and the lower back. It is caused when the cartilage breaks down, allowing the gap between the bones to narrow and eventually to come into contact with each other and rub; the rubbing causes the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is also known as osteoarthrosis, or arthrosis.
GPs regularly manage and support patients with osteoarthritis but you may be referred to a specialist orthopaedic surgeon, a physiotherapist, and/or a specialist in pain medicine.
Typically these include: inflammation and swelling of the joint (however, if a joint suddenly swells or is hot and inflamed, tell your doctor as this can be a sign of another type of arthritis); stiffness or creaking of the joint; restricted movement; pain and tenderness around the joint; and, less commonly, joint deformity (osteophytes). Some people have few symptoms, while for others symptoms can be severe.
Your GP may initially diagnose osteoarthritis based only on your age, symptoms and a physical examination of your affected joints. However, if your doctor is uncertain or wants to exclude other conditions, an x-ray can help with diagnosis.
Alternatively, you may be referred for an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. These scans show any inflammation in the soft tissues – cartilage, tendons, and muscles – that might not show on an x-ray.
Your GP may also ask for a blood test to rule out other forms of arthritis.
Whilst it’s normally associated with older people (most commonly in people over 50), by the age of 65 around half of people have some osteoarthritis. However, it can also affect other age groups and, according to Arthritis Care, around 10m people suffer from some form of arthritis in the UK alone.
Whilst it’s not known exactly what causes osteoarthritis there are a number of factors that are now known to increase the risk of it. These include:
Total prevention is not possible. However, there are a number of steps that can be taken, at any stage in life, to reduce the risk of getting the disease. These include:
Your GP or physiotherapist will be able to give you more detailed advice.
Although, at the moment, there is no cure for the disease, osteoarthritis is not always progressive and serious. However, for those who are affected, there are ways that you can manage your osteoarthritis and so improve your quality of life. Your specialist at The Princess Grace Hospital will be able to provide more advice, but the key things to think about and discuss with them are:
The London Knee Unit offers advice and treatment for conditions that affect all parts of the knee. If you would like to find out more about the treatments we provide for orthopaedic conditions please visit our other musculoskeletal sites:
Musculoskeletal Foot and Ankle injuries Nerve injuries Shoulder injuries