So what can you do about it?
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recently updated their guidelines for management of hip and knee osteoarthritis.
Little to our surprise, the interventions that come with strong recommendations based on available evidence for managing these conditions include EXERCISE and WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis the most common form of chronic arthritis that is characterised by joint pain, stiffness and swelling, and mainly affects the hands, knees and hips.
Osteoarthritis frequently occurs in people aged over 55 years, however younger people can also be affected.
What are the risk factors?
Risk factors for OA include:
How can you manage Osteoarthritis best? What does the evidence say?
Lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle. We are seeing a recurring pattern here. In short, regular exercise and weight management are the interventions that are strongly recommended for people living with osteoarthritis.
Regular exercise is strongly recommended as a key factor for relieving pain and improving function in people with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis. This includes muscle strengthening exercises as well as walking and Tai Chi.
Weight management is strongly recommended for people with knee and/or hip OA who are overweight or obese.