How to Manage Osteoarthritis

Hi, I’m Lyndsey from My Mobile Physio. One of the most common causes of pain that I see day to day as a mobile physio is osteoarthritis. Nearly everybody has heard of osteoarthritis but not everyone knows exactly what it is or what you can do to help yourself if you find yourself suffering from it’s symptoms.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis and is most likely to develop in people aged over 45 years, although it can occur in younger people. It is a chronic and progressive disease characterised by loss of the cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones where they meet at a joint. Eventually, the cartilage can break down so much that it no longer cushions the two bones.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis can vary from one person to the next but some of the more common symptoms include:

• stiffness
• joint pain
• muscle weakness.

The cause of osteoarthritis is still unclear, but some risk factors have been identified which include:

• being overweight or obese
• a family history of osteoarthritis
• a previous injury, significant trauma or overuse of the joint.

There’s no cure for osteoarthritis, but there is a lot you can do to slow its progression, reduce pain, and maintain or improve function and here are my top tips:

1. Weight loss: This is super important as carrying around extra pounds only puts extra stress on already painful joints.
2. Range of movement exercises: These are essential to improve joint mobility, reduce stiffness, and help prevent tightening of the tissues around the joint. These exercises gently stretch and lengthen the muscles and move the joints through a range of motion that’s comfortable.
3. Strengthening exercises: Pain associated with arthritis has a weakening effect on the surrounding muscles. By undertaking strengthening exercises, muscle weakness can be reversed and strong muscles will support sore joints.
4. Medication: Speak to your GP or specialist about the medication required to best manage your pain and inflammation.

So if you or a friend or family member are suffering from the effects of osteoarthritis then call us on 1300 79 12 49 or check out our website www.mymobilephysio.com.au and find out how we can help you feel better and stronger. See you next time!