Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage in your joints to break down, leading to pain and stiffness. You might experience symptoms like joint pain, swelling, and decreased range of motion, particularly in your knees, hips, or hands. Treatment options include pain relievers, physical therapy, and, in severe cases, surgery. Lifestyle modifications, such as maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular exercise, play a crucial role in managing osteoarthritis and slowing its progression.
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Which of your joints is most affected by osteoarthritis?
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Diet Plus Exercise May Aid Knee Osteoarthritis
A new study finds a combination diet and exercise regimen yields better results for knee osteoarthritis than diet alone, or exercise alone.
What Is Osteoarthritis? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and PreventionMedically Reviewed by Samir Dalvi, MD | April 1, 2026
FAQ
What are the early signs of osteoarthritis?
Early signs of osteoarthritis include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. You may also notice a clicking or cracking sound in the affected joints when you bend them, as well as weakness in the surrounding muscles.
How can I relieve osteoarthritis pain?
A number of medications, including analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoid injections, can help provide relief from osteoarthritis pain. Physical therapy and exercise can also relieve pain by improving your flexibility and range of motion.
Can exercise worsen osteoarthritis?
While high-impact exercise is likely to exacerbate osteoarthritis pain, lower-impact activities such as walking and swimming can improve symptoms. For knee osteoarthritis specifically, low-impact strength training and mobility exercises can be quite helpful.
What are the risk factors for osteoarthritis?
Risk factors for osteoarthritis include older age, obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases, joint injuries, repetitive stress on the joints, bone deformities, and genetics. Women appear more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis.
Is there a cure for osteoarthritis?
No, there isn’t a cure for osteoarthritis, but the available treatments can help you manage your symptoms effectively, slow the progression of the disease, and improve your overall quality of life.
Everyday Health’s team of board-certified physicians and health professionals contribute to the creation and review of content, ensuring that the information is useful, up to date, and accurate.
Samir Dalvi, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He has over 14 years of experience in caring for patients with rheumatologic diseases, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid ar...
Beth Biggee, MD, is owner and practitioner of Lifestyle and Integrative Rheumatology, a holistic direct specialty care practice in North Andover, Massachusetts. She offers whole-pe...
Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD combines an undergraduate English degree from Kalamazoo College and a medical degree from Michigan State University in her work as a medical writer, edito...
David Alboukrek, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology. He is an affiliate clinical professor at Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of ...
Sian Yik Lim, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist at Hawaii Pacific Health. He is a clinical certified densitometrist, certified by the International Society of Clinical Densit...
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