Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the joints in your body, most commonly in the hips, knees, spine and feet, though it can affect any joint. Your risk of osteoarthritis increases with weight gain, age and with injuries, and though traditional wisdom states that it is caused by ‘wear and tear’, no one really knows what the exact cause of osteoarthritis is.
It occurs when your cartilage, which is the tough rubbery material that covers the joint surfaces of all of the bones in your body, breaks down, and becomes rough and thin. This is dangerous because your cartilage is meant to act as a shock absorber against any weight or impact that is put through your joints, and so when it is damaged your wellbeing is at a much greater risk.
When the cartilage thins, it increases the friction in your joint and the underlying bone can increase in growth and form bone spurs. This is the beginning of arthritis, which, if it continues to progress, can cause your cartilage to entirely wear away, and this leaves your bones to rub on each other. This can cause gradual but increasing damage.
So what damage does osteoarthritis do? You may experience pain, especially when you move your joints, and hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of your bones rubs together. You might find that your joint feels sore and stiff, and won’t move as easily or as far as it once did. If these symptoms sound familiar, you should consult your GP and get any joints that are causing you pain x-rayed, to see what’s going on.
Once you have developed the disease, the best way to slow its progression is a combination of joint protection and exercise. Strengthening exercises help to protect and stabilize the joint, and for help to keep it moving, try gentle stretching exercises. Also, low impact exercises such as walking or swimming can help increase your cardiovascular fitness and keep your weight down. However, remember to protect your joints by not trying to do too much at once, positioning the joints properly to avoid undue stress, and using devices like canes to help make daily tasks easier. Look online or consult a physiotherapist for more information.