How Can We Improve The Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis?

You too can help reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis through simple therapeutic measures in your daily life. Discover them and put them into practice.

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system that mainly affects the adult population. What occurs is a failure in the stability of the articular cartilage, the extracellular matrix and the subchondral bone. It may seem complex, but the fact is that the symptoms of osteoarthritis lead people who suffer from it to decrease their quality of life.

It is a disease that develops slowly and progressively. The most common signs and symptoms are pain, swelling, stiffness, synovitis, deformity, and joint crepitus (1).

In the case of beginning to feel these symptoms, it is advisable to go to the specialist to make a correct diagnosis and prescription of the treatment to follow.

Treatment of osteoarthritis

Treatment for osteoarthritis can be divided into :

• Medical treatment
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
• Surgical treatment

In addition, it seems logical that patients at risk of suffering from this disease have to modify their lifestyle habits in order to prevent it.

For example, some risk factors are obesity, ligament or meniscus injuries, work activities, recreational activities, and hip diseases in childhood (2).

How to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis in daily life?

In addition to drug treatment, experts recommend certain simple therapeutic measures in daily life.

The education

It is important that patients with chronic diseases know as much as possible about their diseases. Mainly, people with osteoarthritis have to explain the genesis and evolution of their condition.

In addition, it is also advisable to emphasize the progression of the disease, which is normally slow. Affected people often think that they will have short-term disabilities and deformities, which is why it is good to explain that this is not always the case.

Weightloss

In osteoarthritis, obesity can be a risk factor. Losing weight, even by a small percentage, can lead to quite a noticeable decrease in pain. That is why losing weight, in the case of being above the ideal weight, can be highly recommended.

If you are obese or not at your ideal weight, then it is good to recommend that patients take a healthier lifestyle. Ultimately, adopting a self-care style can be crucial for osteoarthritis sufferers.

Exercise for osteoarthritis symptoms

Exercise has been shown to be a clear benefit in pain control and function in certain joints with osteoarthritis, such as the knee for example. All those exercises that help to strengthen the affected joints will be favorable for the disease.

Support instruments

The use, for example, of the cane in the hand contralateral to the affected joint, either knee or hip, is useful by reducing the overload, up to 60% in the case of the hip, thus significantly relieving pain (3).

On the other hand, to alleviate knee pain, it may be useful to use wedge soles (4). Other instruments, such as the knee brace, can also be of help in the case of having an ailment of the tibia or femur, for example.

Thus, the main treatment for osteoatritis is usually medication. However, to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, it can be very good to take these measures described according to the condition that is present.