Osteoarthritis (OA) Quiz
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Knee does not move
Have joint pain
Have knee pain
Congenital genu varum
Pain when I press the knee
Knee pain when getting up from a chair
Can't bend or extend my elbow properly because it hurts
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Osteoarthritis (OA)?
Wear and tear of the joint cartilage over time. Risk factors include repetitive joint movements and carrying heavy loads for many years.
Typical Symptoms of Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Pain when exerting physically e.g. climbing the stairs
- Knee pain
- Pain when pressing around the knee
- Knee pain when standing up from a chair
- Elbow pain worsens when bending or straightening the joint
- Knee pain when walking down stairs
- Knee pain that makes kneeling difficult
- Knee pain when squatting or crouching
Diagnostic Questions for Osteoarthritis (OA)
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Does pain improve with rest but worsen with movement?
- Are you experiencing knee pain?
- Do you have pain when pressing around your knee?
- Do you have knee pain when you stand up from a chair?
- Does your elbow pain worsen when you bend or straighten it?
Treatment of Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but treatment can improve its symptoms. Mild cases can be managed with lifestyle changes like losing weight, using walking aids, and warm compresses. Painkillers and medicine to reduce inflammation can help with joint pain - these can sometimes be injected directly into the joint. In severe cases, surgery to smooth the bone surface or replace it with an implant can be done.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Pain behind the knee
- Knee swelling
- Knee pain when crouching
- Knee pain with numbness or tingling in the same leg
- Inner knee pain
- Knee injury
- Aching in the knee cap
- Painful knee when going down stairs
- Knee region burning sensation
- Unable to put pressure on the knees
See full list
Symptoms Related to Osteoarthritis (OA)
Diseases Related to Osteoarthritis (OA)
FAQs
Q.
Joint Pain? Why Curcumin Fails + Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Curcumin often provides only mild relief and frequently fails because of poor absorption, inconsistent dosing or quality, the wrong diagnosis, advanced structural damage, or unaddressed mechanical stress; there are several factors to consider. See the complete explanation below. Evidence-based next steps include strength training and physical therapy, weight management, topical or oral NSAIDs when appropriate, selective injections, and early rheumatology evaluation for inflammatory signs, with urgent care for red-flag symptoms. Key details that can change your personal plan are outlined below.
References:
* Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). The challenge of curcumin bioavailability: An overview. *Journal of nutrition and metabolism*, *2017*. [PMID: 29062327]
* Kotha, R. R., & Luthra, N. P. (2018). Curcumin: an overview of pharmacological activities and its effect in clinical trials. *Journal of Clinical Pharmacology*, *58*(5), 523-547. [PMID: 29334571]
* Cameron, M., & Chrubasik, S. (2015). Herbal medicine for osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. *Journal of Clinical Rheumatology*, *21*(6), 295-307. [PMID: 26270830]
* Kolasinski, S. L., Neogi, T., Hochberg, M. C., Oatis, K., Guyatt, G., Block, J., ... & Tugwell, P. (2020). 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. *Arthritis & Rheumatology*, *72*(2), 220-233. [PMID: 31920050]
* Smart, K. M., Doody, C., Furlong, B., Lehane, D., & O'Connell, N. E. (2020). Exercise for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a review of the evidence for effect and mechanisms. *Physical Therapy Reviews*, *25*(3-4), 216-231. [PMID: 32328173]
Q.
Is It EDS? Why Your Joints Are Failing & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Joint instability, dislocations, and chronic pain can be caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but osteoarthritis and other issues are more common; diagnosis is clinical using history, exam, Beighton score, family patterns, and exclusion of other causes. Next steps include a proper medical evaluation, strength-focused physical therapy, joint protection, appropriate pain care, screening for related conditions, and urgent attention for severe chest or abdominal pain; there are several factors to consider, and the complete guidance that could affect your choices is detailed below.
References:
* Malfait F, Francomano RL, Byers PH, Belmont J, Berglund B, Bober JM, et al. The 2017 international classification of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):8-26. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31552. Epub 2017 Jan 31. PMID: 28286927.
* Tinkle B, Castori M, Berglund B, Cohen H, Driver CC, Francomano R, et al. Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS): A New Perspective. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):153-171. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31558. Epub 2017 Jan 26. PMID: 28221855.
* Castori M, Tinkle B, Levy H, Grahame R, Malfait F, Hakim A. A framework for the classification of joint hypermobility and related conditions. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):148-152. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31539. Epub 2017 Jan 30. PMID: 28221855.
* Chopra P, Tinkle B, Levy H, Fahy E, Herrera-Soto A, Quigley R, et al. Pain Management in the Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes: Evolving Approaches. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):212-219. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31541. Epub 2017 Jan 30. PMID: 28221849.
* Hakim AJ, De Wandele I, Eccleston C, Miller R, Tomlinson M, Veriki S, et al. Chronic pain and fatigue in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders- an evidence based approach. Br J Pain. 2021 May;15(2):162-177. doi: 10.1177/2049463720932028. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 34104271; PMCID: PMC8174526.
Q.
Grinding Joints? Why It’s Not Just Aging: Osteoarthritis & Medical Next Steps
A.
Grinding joints are not just aging; they often point to osteoarthritis, where thinning cartilage leads to pain, stiffness, crepitus, and swelling, and early diagnosis guides effective steps like weight management, low-impact exercise, physical therapy, medications or injections, and sometimes surgery. There are several factors to consider, including risk factors and warning signs that need prompt care; see below to understand more and to find practical at-home tips and clear next medical steps.
References:
* Hunter DJ, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA. Osteoarthritis. Lancet. 2019 Apr 6;393(10178):1745-1759. PMID: 30956003.
* Liu Y, Chen Y, Tang X. Recent advances in molecular mechanisms of osteoarthritis. Front Pharmacol. 2023 Mar 9;14:1134045. PMID: 36968478.
* Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020 Feb;72(2):220-233. PMID: 31797452.
* Brandt KR, Dieckmann R, Bocker W, et al. Emerging treatments in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023 Dec;31(12):1569-1582. PMID: 37625515.
* Glyn-Jones S, Palmer AJ, Kwon J, et al. Osteoarthritis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2023 Jun 29;9(1):47. PMID: 37385966.
Q.
Rusty Joints? Why Your Body is Grinding & Medical Next Steps for Arthritis
A.
Grinding, cracking, or morning stiffness often points to early arthritis, most commonly osteoarthritis from cartilage wear, while painless cracking alone is usually harmless but pain, swelling, or long morning stiffness raise concern for types like rheumatoid arthritis or gout. There are several factors to consider, including red flags that need urgent care, how doctors diagnose it, and treatments from exercise and weight management to medications, physical therapy, assistive devices, and surgery. See the complete guidance below to understand key details that can change your next medical steps.
References:
* Little, C. B., Barter, M. J., & Akhurst, B. (2022). Current understanding of osteoarthritis. *Nature Reviews Rheumatology*, *18*(4), 185-202. PMID: 35191929.
* Fraenkel, L., Bathon, J. M., England, B. R., St Clair, E. W., Jr, Arayssi, T., Carandang, R., ... & American College of Rheumatology. (2021). 2021 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. *Arthritis & Rheumatology*, *73*(7), 1109-1127. PMID: 33945780.
* Sieper, J., & Poddubnyy, D. (2021). New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of spondyloarthritis. *Nature Reviews Rheumatology*, *17*(7), 415-432. PMID: 34185121.
* Lim, L. C., & Liew, H. K. (2021). Diagnosis and management of common rheumatological conditions. *BMJ*, *372*, m4761. PMID: 33792019.
* FitzGerald, J. D., Dalbeth, N., Terkeltaub, R., Anderson, B., Bitton, A., Gluck, C., ... & American College of Rheumatology. (2020). 2020 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Gout. *Arthritis & Rheumatology*, *72*(6), 879-895. PMID: 32410776.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Sharma, L. (2021). Osteoarthritis of the knee. New England Journal of Medicine.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMcp1903768Allen, K. D., Thoma, L. M., & Golightly, Y. M. (2022). Epidemiology of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458421008864Mobasheri, A., & Batt, M. (2016). An update on the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877065716300847