What is Osteoarthritis and who is most at risk?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a condition that affects the whole joint including bone, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles. The wearing down of the protective tissue at the ends of bones (cartilage) occurs gradually and worsens over time as we age. An estimated 2.2 million Australians suffer from Osteoarthritis with 60% of conditions being in women. The incidence of Osteoarthritis increases with age, with recent figures suggesting that 1 in 3 people over the age of 75 suffer from the condition.

Osteoarthritis symptoms may include:

• Inflammation of the tissue around a joint
• Damage to the joint cartilage (protective cushion at the end of your bones)
• Deterioration of surrounding ligaments
• Pain, stiffness, and swelling in affected areas.

Range of motion exercises, muscle strengthening, stretching, and aerobic exercise can achieve significant improvements in pain, physical function, and health-related quality of life, both in short and long-term cases. People with milder Osteoarthritis are most likely to respond positively to such therapy, suggesting that early detection is important.

The Statistics

• Resistance training has been shown to reduce Osteoarthritis pain scores by up to 43% in those with knee and hip Osteoarthritis.
• Over half of older adult patients with Osteoarthritis have hypertension, 20% have cardiovascular disease and 14% have type 2 diabetes.
• Excess weight is the most important modifiable risk factor associated with the development and progression of Osteoarthritis.
  
  

How can a Club Active Accredited Exercise Physiologist help?

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At Club Active our university-qualified exercise physiologists can evaluate your Osteoarthritis, identify any other health conditions that may need consideration, and help you decide on an exercise plan for becoming more active and managing your Osteoarthritis. All facilities have specialised clinical equipment, group classes, and programming that can be tailored to your specific injuries, health conditions, current level of physical fitness, and ability.

Your GP can provide an allied health referral for Medicare bulk-billing with a Chronic Diseases Management (CDM) plan. We also work with NDIS, DVA, and Work Cover.

To learn more about working with an Exercise Physiologist, please contact our friendly team today.