What is Osteoarthritis? Why is My Joint in Pain?
Osteoarthritis or short for OA, is a degenerative condition where the surface of our joints go through wear and tear resulting in pain, stiffness and swelling. OA are commonly found in our knees, lower back, hips, neck and our hands.
In an ideal functioning joint, we have a layer of soft and rubbery material known as cartilage. These soft tissues cover the ends of each bone forming a joint with the connecting bone. The surface is smooth to begin with, which helps with gliding and cushioning of the bones connected together.
In the case of OA, the cartilage starts to break down which creates a rough joint surface. This triggers an inflammatory response which brings along swelling, pain and stiffness in the joint. As the condition progresses, more cartilage will wear off resulting in formation of bone spurs. At the end, all the cartilage will be gone leading to bone rubbing on bone resulting in a lack of mobility and more pain.
There are various reasons why we develop OA, and factors such as being genetically predisposed, being overweight, previous injuries and overuse of the joint are some of the possibilities where OA stems from.
If we suspect OA, we should be on the look out for following symptoms:
- Cracking or clicking of a joint when bending
- Swelling around the joint
- Pain with extensive activity
- Limited Range of Motion of the joint
- Pain on movement after prolonged periods of inactivity on it
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a very manageable condition through physiotherapy treatment. With a throughout physiotherapy assessment, we can determine the proper type of exercises and active therapy, which can help us regain our physical function. More on this in the next post, stay tuned.
For more information on how Amberlea Physiotherapy in Pickering can help you manager your osteoarthritis pain please book a free 15-minute consultation with our physiotherapists.
Call 905-492-5588 or book online.
