Osteoarthritis

Information, resources and tools to help you manage your osteoarthritis symptoms and improve function.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. It affects more Canadians than all other forms of arthritis combined. Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease of the whole joint that leads to the breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. (Cartilage is the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones).

Healty knee joint and damaged asteoarthritis knee Joints require the body to regularly repair and replenish damaged tissues. Damage to joint tissues can occur through the normal function of a joint. When the body is not able to keep up with the repair process, or if there is too much tissue that requires repair to take place, osteoarthritis may begin to develop. For most people, this damage can occur when otherwise healthy joints are exposed to heavy workloads over a long period of time. However, for some people whose joints are formed differently or who have experienced a previous joint injury, even regular workloads can accelerate joint damage. Being overweight or obese is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis since additional body weight can cause significant stress on weight-bearing joints.

There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, however, there are ways to manage the symptoms and how you function in daily life. This can include a combination of self-management strategies, medications, treatment by healthcare professionals specializing in orthopedic care and, for severe osteoarthritis, possibly joint replacement surgery.

Click on the cards below to learn about osteoarthritis and how to manage it to live well.