What Do You Know About Osteoarthritis?

Other suggestions from the Arthritis Foundation:

• Exercise to strengthen the muscles that surround your joints.
• Use your largest joints and muscles when you lift or carry objects.
• Alternate periods of intense activity with periods of rest to prevent repetitive stress on joints.
• If you sit for long periods, change your position regularly to ease stiffness.

In some cases, surgery may be done to treat osteoarthritis. Joint surgery such as a hip or knee replacement may be advised if:

• The pain is severe
• Other treatments have not been helpful
• An X-ray shows there is no space between the 2 bones of a joint