Time to bust common osteoarthritis myths

Abstract

Several common beliefs about osteoarthritis held by people living with the condition and some clinicians are discordant with current evidence and can hinder effective management. Therefore, providing information about the disease and its mechanisms could lead to better management of people with osteoarthritis. This paper addresses the seven most common myths surrounding osteoarthritis relating to its causative factors, pathology, assessment and management. We present the evidence to refute these misconceptions and argue that physiotherapists are in an ideal position to provide education to people with osteoarthritis. Ultimately, physiotherapists can play a central role in the provision of care for people with osteoarthritis.

Influence of Anxiety/Depression, Age, Gender and ASA on 1-Year Follow-Up Outcomes Following Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in 5447 Patients

“…Symptoms in the affected joint/s such as stiffness, pain and instability, tend to worsen in severity over time [ 3 ]. These symptoms can lead to functional limitations, especially considering mobility, as well as decrease of independence in activities of daily living [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. After a certain point, conservative interventions are unsuccessful in restricting disease progression of osteoarthritis [ 5 ].…”

“…These symptoms can lead to functional limitations, especially considering mobility, as well as decrease of independence in activities of daily living [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. After a certain point, conservative interventions are unsuccessful in restricting disease progression of osteoarthritis [ 5 ]. Therefore, in order to improve signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, the most common orthopedic procedures are elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA).…”

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“…Furthermore, 64% of participants indicated they usually referred people with OA to an orthopaedic surgeon. The reason for these findings is not apparent, but the results may reflect a perception that joint replacement surgery is inevitable for people with OA or the limited state-funded conservative treatment services available to people with OA in New Zealand Bunzli et al, 2019;O'Brien et al, 2019).…”

“…Imaging correlates poorly with symptoms and, in some cases, is harmful because it reinforces a purely mechanical view of the disease (Bunzli et al, 2019;O'Brien et al, 2019). Second, surgical joint replacement is common and effective for reducing pain (Hochberg et al, 2015;Leskinen et al, 2012).…”

Improving Patient Outcomes Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: Identifying Rehabilitation Pathways Based on Modifiable Psychological Risk and Resilience Factors

“…Because there is no known cure and symptoms tend to worsen in severity over time, osteoarthritis can have a progressively debilitating impact on an individual's health and functioning (Hunter and Bierma-Zeinstra, 2019;Törmälehto et al, 2019), particularly when conservative management interventions are unsuccessful in restricting disease progression (Jones et al, 2007;O'Brien et al, 2019). Patients with end-stage osteoarthritis experience considerable pain, as well as functional limitations in relation to mobility, activities of daily living, independence, and occupational and social participation (Neogi, 2013;O'Brien et al, 2019;Törmälehto et al, 2019). Symptoms can lead to disrupted sleep and fatigue (Sasaki et al, 2014a), and reliance on a caregiver (Hunter et al, 2014).…”