Erbil polytechnic university

Erbil health technical college

physiotherapy department

study year 2020-2021

Osteoarthritis

Supervisor : Dr. Suhair Waleed Abdullah

Prepared by: Warda Jamel Sadeq

Shakar Mudrik Omer

Mihad Omer Naji

Content

Introduction

What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis and cartilage
What Causes Osteoarthritis?
Symptoms

Here are ways that OA may affect different parts of the body

Diagnosis
Osteoarthritis Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid

Exercise for osteoarthritis

What's the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?

The types of food to avoid are those that include the following: (

There are two main types of osteoarthritis

THE 4 STAGES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS
Conclusion

Reference
Introduction
Osteoarthritis refers to a clinical syndrome of joint pain accompanied by varying
degrees of functional limitation and reduced quality of life. It is the most common
form of arthritis, and one of the leading causes of pain and disability worldwide.
The most commonly affected peripheral joints are the knees, hips and small hand
joints. (7)
What is osteoarthritis? (6)
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic (long-lasting) joint condition.

A joint is where two bones come together. The ends of these bones are covered
with protective tissue called cartilage. With OA, this cartilage breaks down,
causing the bones within the joint to rub together. This can cause pain, stiffness,
and other symptoms.

OA occurs most often in older people, although it can occur in adults of any age.
OA is also called degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis, and wear-
and-tear arthritis.

A leading cause of disability, OA affects more than 30 million men and

womenTrusted Source in the United States. Here’s everything you need to know
about OA, from treatment to prevention and more.
Osteoarthritis and cartilage (6)

Cartilage is a tough, rubbery substance that’s flexible and softer than bone. Its
job is to protect the ends of bones within a joint and allow them to move easily
against each other.

When cartilage breaks down, these bone surfaces become pitted and rough. This
can cause pain within the joint, and irritation in surrounding tissues. Damaged
cartilage can’t repair itself. This is because cartilage doesn’t contain any blood
vessels.

When cartilage wears away completely, the cushioning buffer that it provides
disappears, allowing for bone-on-bone contact. This can cause intense pain and
other symptoms associated with OA.

What Causes Osteoarthritis? (2)

There are several factors that increase a person's chances of developing osteoarthritis. These
include:

 Heredity. Some people have an inherited defect in one of the genes responsible for
making cartilage. This causes defective cartilage, which leads to more rapid
deterioration of joints. People born with joint abnormalities are more likely to develop
osteoarthritis, and those born with an abnormality of the spine (such as scoliosis or
curvature of the spine) are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the spine.
 Obesity . Obesity increases the risk for osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, and spine.
Maintaining ideal weight or losing excess weight may help prevent osteoarthritis of
these areas or decrease the rate of progression once osteoarthritis is established.
 Injury. Injuries contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. For example, athletes
who have knee-related injuries may be at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis of
the knee. In addition, people who have had a severe back injury may be predisposed
to develop osteoarthritis of the spine. People who have had a broken bone near a joint
are prone to develop osteoarthritis in that joint.
 Joint overuse. Overuse of certain joints increases the risk of developing
osteoarthritis. For example, people in jobs requiring repeated bending of the knee are
at increased risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee.
  Other diseases. People with rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common type of
arthritis, are more likely to develop osteoarthritis. In addition, certain rare conditions,
such as iron overload or excess growth hormone, increase the chance of developing
OA.

Symptoms (5)

Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and
symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

 Pain. Affected joints might hurt during or after movement.

 Stiffness. Joint stiffness might be most noticeable upon awakening or after being

inactive.

 Tenderness. Your joint might feel tender when you apply light pressure to or near
it.

 Loss of flexibility. You might not be able to move your joint through its full range
of motion.

 Grating sensation. You might feel a grating sensation when you use the joint, and
you might hear popping or crackling.

 Bone spurs. These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, can form around
the affected joint.

 Swelling. This might be caused by soft tissue inflammation around the joint.

Here are ways that OA may affect different parts of the body (8)
  Hips. Pain is felt in the groin area or buttocks and sometimes on the inside of the knee or thigh.
 Knees. A “grating” or “scraping” feeling when moving the knee. 
 Fingers. Bony growths (spurs) at the edge of joints can cause fingers to become swollen, tender
and red. There may be pain at the base of the thumb.
 Feet. The big toe feels painful and tender. Ankles or toes may swell.

Diagnosis (4)

Medical history, a physical examination and lab tests help to make an OA diagnosis. 

A primary care doctor may be the first person you talk to about joint pain. The doctor will go
over medical history information, symptoms, how the pain affects activities, as well as medical
problems and medication use. The doctor will look at and move the joints. These tests help to
make the diagnosis:

 Joint aspiration. After numbing the area, a needle is inserted into the joint to pull out fluid. This
test will look for infection or crystals in the fluid . The results can help rule out other medical
conditions or other forms of arthritis.
 X-ray. X-rays can show joint or bone damage or changes related to osteoarthritis.
 MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gives a better view of cartilage and other parts of the
joint.

What is the best treatment for osteoarthritis? (3)

Medications that can help relieve osteoarthritis symptoms, primarily pain, include:
  Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) has been shown to help some people with
osteoarthritis who have mild to moderate pain. ...
 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). ...
 Duloxetine (Cymbalta).

Exercise for osteoarthritis

Walking, biking, swimming, tai chi, yoga, and water aerobics are all good
aerobic exercises for people with osteoarthritis. Water exercise is especially
ideal because of water's soothing warmth and buoyancy. It's a gentle way to
exercise joints and muscles -- plus it acts as resistance to help build muscle
strength.

What's the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis? (2)

Arthritis is a general term that describes inflammation in joints.

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common
type of arthritis. It happens when the cartilage in your joints break down,
often in your hips, knees, and spine. Osteoarthritis also often affects the
finger joints, the joint at the base of the thumb, and the joint at the base of
the big toe.

Osteoarthritis Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid (1)

Over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription medications are two common

treatments for osteoarthritis. However, one big change that can help you feel
better when you have osteoarthritis is to improve your diet. What you eat can
make a difference when it comes to osteoarthritis.
Conversely, if you eat foods that counter inflammation, you have a better chance of
combating your osteoarthritis symptoms, .“One of the best lifestyle choices for easing
osteoarthritis pain is maintaining a healthy diet.there are some other ways that a
healthy diet can benefit you if you have osteoarthritis:

 You’ll lower your blood pressure.

 You’ll protect against chronic conditions.
 Your joint function improves.
 You can help prevent future damage to joints.

Osteoarthritis: Foods to Eat (1)

1. Fruits and vegetables
2. Omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Nuts.
4. Extra-virgin olive oil.
5. Garlic and onions.
6. Soy
7. Beans. 
There are two main types of osteoarthritis: (11)

 Primary: Most common, generalized, primarily affects the fingers,

thumbs, spine, hips, knees, and the great (big) toes.
 Secondary: Occurs with a pre-existing joint abnormality, including
injury or trauma, such as repetitive or sports-related; inflammatory
arthritis, such as rheumatoid, psoriatic, or gout; infectious arthritis;
genetic joint disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos (also known as
hypermobility or "double-jointed; congenital joint disorders; or
metabolic joint 

THE 4 STAGES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS (9)

STAGE 1 – MINOR
This is the least severe stage of OA. Patients in stage 1 will develop minor wear-and-
tear in their joints, but typically feel little to no pain in the affected area. If you have no
history of OA, a doctor will most likely leave your symptoms untreated, but they may
advise you take supplements or change up your exercise routine.

STAGE 2 – MILD
This is when X-rays will start to show more noticeable bone spur growths (growths that
often develop where bones meet each other in the joint). The affected area will start to
feel stiff after long, sedentary periods, and will become uncomfortable. Your doctor
might suggest a stricter workout routine or a fitted brace to wear.

STAGE 3 – MODERATE
In stage 3, the cartilage in the affected area starts to erode and narrow the gap between
bone and joint. The joint becomes inflamed and starts causing discomfort during normal
daily activity. Some treatments include over the counter pain medications, prescription
pain relievers, and in severe cases, hyaluronic injections.

STAGE 4 – SEVERE
This is the most severe stage of OA, which means it is also the most painful. At this
point, the cartilage is almost completely gone, leading to an inflammatory response from
the joint. The bone spurs that developed in the earlier stages have now multiplied, often
causing excruciating pain. There are various treatment options that generally include
bone realignment surgery and knee/hip replacement.
Conclusion

The pain and disability associated with osteoarthritis have a serious impact on the lives of
patients, yet conservative treatment in many patients can reduce pain, improve performance, and
forestall invasive surgical procedures. A management strategy combining nonpharmacologic
treatments such as strength training, appropriate exercise, weight loss, orthotics, and physical
therapy with pain medication can be successful in many patients.

When disease progression demands more aggressive treatment, the use of techniques such as
viscosupplementation may obviate surgical procedures and achieve good clinical results,
allowing patients to return to their everyday activities and more productive lives. It is essential,
however, to determine treatment strategies based on individual patient characteristics such as
age, comorbidities, symptoms, and risk factors for other diseases. In this way, we can maximize
our patients’ quality of life while ensuring that they receive the best possible care.

osteoarthritis is a very treatable and, at times, preventable disorder. If anyone has pain, stiffness or
swelling of any or their joints, please see your physician as soon as possible as the longer it takes to be
treated, the more difficult it is to have a positive outcome.

Reference

1. https://health.usnews.com/conditions/bone-and-joint-
disease/arthritis/osteoarthritis/articles/osteoarthritis-diet-foods-to-eat-and-avoid
2. https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/qa/whats-the-difference-between-arthritis-and-
osteoarthritis
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-
20351930
4. https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/osteoarthritis
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925
6. https://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis#osteoarthritis-and-cartilage
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK333078/#:~:text=Osteoarthritis
8. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/osteoarthritis
9. https://www.osgpc.com/the-4-stages-of-osteoarthritis/
10. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322603