🦴 Osteoarthritis
PH
PureHealthness Editorial Team · Health writers & reviewers
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
✔ Transparent sourcing · Some articles are AI-drafted, then reviewed & fact-checked by our team
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
| In brief | Chronic joint pain, stiffness (especially in the morning), swelling, and reduced range of motion. |
|---|---|
| Category | Musculoskeletal |
🔍 What causes it
Wear-and-tear of joint cartilage — the cushion between bones breaks down. Age, weight, joint injury, repetitive use and genetics. The most common arthritis — usually knees, hips, hands, spine.
⚠️ Key symptoms
- Joint pain worsened by activity, relieved by rest
- Morning stiffness under 30 minutes
- Mild swelling, creaking (crepitus)
- Reduced range of motion
💊 Treatment
No cure — manage it: gentle movement and strengthening (the best medicine), weight loss (each kg reduces knee load ~4×), pain relief (paracetamol, topical gels), heat/cold. Advanced: injections, joint replacement.
🛡️ Prevention
Healthy weight, regular low-impact exercise (walking, swimming), protect joints, avoid repetitive injury.
🚨 See a doctor / red flags: See a doctor promptly if symptoms are severe, do not improve, or get worse — especially for children, older adults, pregnant women, or anyone with a chronic condition.
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