Specific Tips for Managing OA

Diagnosed with OA – What can I do?

• Learn more about your diagnosis - do you have RA or OA? Treatments for each type of arthritis are different
• Learn what resources are available to help you manage OA
• Remember there is no cure for arthritis at this time. You have to learn to live with this chronic disease

Learn Self-Management

• You should explore resources to learn self-management strategies to help you manage your OA. Programs such as Arthritis Self-Management Program or Chronic Disease Self-Management Program provides you not only with information or self-management strategies but also introduces you to people with arthritis who can provide you with peer support

Lose Weight

• Losing weight (i.e. reduction in body fat) can decrease load on weight bearing joints especially on the knees and reduce pain and improve physical function. It is important to maintain weight loss over the long term. For more information on Diet & Nutrition click here. Exercise can also help to reduce weight

Participate in an Exercise Program

• Research indicates that every 5 lb weight loss decreases stress on the knee joints and will reduce pain for knee OA. For people with OA, better balance and muscle strength gained from exercise programs may reduce joint damage and pain, improve function and health status. For more information on exercise programs, click here. If you have severe OA, water exercise is highly recommended. Swimming is an excellent exercise as the force of gravity is greatly reduced in water. Water provides buoyancy and support for joints and body weight and therefore allows you to move the painful joints more easily. For more information on Water Exercise click here.

Seek Social Support

• Peer and professional social support can help you to improve your functional and emotional status. You can learn strategies or find out about resources to help you manage your chronic condition. Here are links to support groups and social work:
  • Community Support Groups
  • Specific-Disease Groups
  • Social Work & Counselling

Learn to Protect Your Joints

• Protecting your joints means using your joints in ways that avoid excess stress. Benefits include less pain and greater ease in doing tasks
  • Avoid excess strain on joints
  • Warm-up or cool-down before and after exercising
  • Apply ice after injuries
  • Pace yourself
  • Wear proper shoes
  • Learn about assistive devices and walking aids

Learn about Assistive Devices and Walking Aids

• The following can make it easier to carry out activities of daily living, such as;
  • Walking Canes
  • Grab bars
  • Raised toilet seats
  • Walkers
  • Orthotics – inserts that can fit into shoes are made to support and improve functioning of the feet
  • Corrective footwear may correct abnormal biomechanics as a result of knee OA

Learn about Pain Relief and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAIDs) Medications

• For mild to moderate OA pain, doctors often recommend Tylenol, Panadol, Exdol, etc. This group of drugs provides pain relief but does not reduce inflammation. NSAIDs are a type of medication that helps reduce pain and swelling of the joints and decrease stiffness. However, they do not prevent joint damage. For more information to help you with arthritis medications, download a copy of Consumers Guide to Arthritis Medications - link pdf

What treatments are available for OA? Here are some examples:

• Viscosupplementation – for treatment of OA in the knee only. A clear gel-like substance is injected into the knee joint to lubricate the cartilage, thus reducing pain and allowing greater movement of the knee
• TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) can improve pain control in OA knee
• Be aware that glucosamine and chondritin sulfate alone or in combination do not reduce pain effectively and have not been shown to prevent radiographic progression in people with mild to moderate knee and hip OA

To download the brochure "Living Well With Osteoarthritis", click here

Another resource is A Guide to for People with OA of the Hip or Knee

If you need more information on how to Manage a Flare-Up – click here

Learn more General Tips for Managing Arthritis

To know more about OA, here are some Frequently Asked Questions - OA
To know some of the Myths and Facts about OA

Fore more information on OA, visit the Osteoarthritis Service Integration System (OASIS) website at: http://oasis.vch.ca/search.aspx

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