Overview
Osteoarthritis is the gradual wearing of joint cartilage — most often the knees, hips and hands — causing pain that worsens with activity and stiffness after rest. It is the most common arthritis in older adults worldwide, especially affecting the knees. Exercise and weight control genuinely slow it; staying still makes it worse.
Symptoms
- Joint pain that worsens with activity and eases with rest
- Stiffness after waking or sitting, easing within 30 minutes
- Grating, creaking or cracking in the joint
- Joint swelling
- Reduced range of motion
- Knees giving way or difficulty with stairs
Causes & risk factors
- Age-related cartilage wear
- Excess body weight loading the knees and hips
- Previous joint injuries
- Repetitive heavy loading from work
- Family tendency; more common in women
Treatment & self-care
The core treatment is movement: regular gentle exercise to strengthen the muscles around the joint, weight loss to unload it, and physiotherapy for technique. Doctors add pain relief used sensibly — long-term daily NSAID self-medication harms kidneys and stomach — and joint injections or replacement surgery help advanced disease. Walking aids and shoe cushioning reduce strain.
See a doctor urgently if
- Joint pain limiting daily activities despite simple measures
- A hot, swollen joint or fever (rule out infection)
- Sudden inability to bear weight
- Night pain disturbing sleep regularly