What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis has commonly been known as a degenerative disease, and we often hear that it is a result from cartilage loss. In recent years, new studies have shown that it is much more than that — it affects the entire joint, rather than just the cartilage itself.
Fig. 1. Example of osteoarthritis progression in a joint
Did you know?
While knee osteoarthritis is the most common, osteoarthritis can affect other joints in the body, including hips, shoulders, elbows and more. Signs and symptoms may overlap, but individuals may experience different effects as well.
When is osteoarthritis diagnosed?
Osteoarthritis is a collection of findings and can be diagnosed if:
1) Pain worse with activity and better with rest
2) > 45 years old
3) Morning stiffness lasting <30 minutes
4) Possible boney joint enlargement
5) Limited range of motion
The risk of osteoarthritis increases if the individual is female, obese, has muscle weakness, or previously suffered from a joint injury.
X-rays of the affected joint can show osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and cysts.
However, radiographic findings do not correlate to the severity of the disease and may not be present early in the disease.
Fig.2. X-ray of a patient with knee osteoarthritis
How Physiotherapy Helps
Physiotherapy helps to minimise both pain and functional loss in patients with osteoarthritis. This can be achieved by:
1) Increasing strength
2) Improving range of motion and reducing stiffness
3) Gradual loading of joints to improve loading capacity
4) Weight loss - each pound of weight loss can decrease the load across the knee by up to 6 times
5) Use of equipment such as walking aids to relief joint pain while improving functional movements
At Doorstep Rehab, we offer tailored home physiotherapy islandwide. No waiting or travelling required - just expert care brought directly to you. Reserve your private session today.
References
Sen, R., & Hurley, J. A. (2023, February 20). Osteoarthritis - StatPearls - NCBI bookshelf. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482326/
