General principles for osteoarthritis treatment

Treatment of OA is aimed at the reduction of pain, caused by a variety of the pathological processes going on - inflammation, debris, venous stasis, capsular or muscle stretch, etc.

Treatment options are dependent on whether the condition is early, late or intermediate:

Early OA:

• pain relief
• improvement of joint mobility
• load reduction, e.g. walking stick, weight loss etc.

Intermediate OA:

• realignment osteotomy for younger patients

Late OA:

• unremitting pain and progressive disability are indications for radical surgery
• arthroplasty may be indicated for patients over 60 years. An arthroplasty may not be appropriate for a younger patient because the physical demands placed on an affected joint are likely to be greater and the arthroplasty may fail after a few years

Reference

1. Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline (October 2022)