Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the UK and the leading reason for hip and knee replacement surgery.
- ≈ 10m
people in the UK live with arthritis; OA is the most common form.
Source: Versus Arthritis, 2023
- ≈ 200k
hip and knee replacements recorded by the NJR each year.
- First line
NICE recommends therapeutic exercise and weight loss, not paracetamol.
Source: NICE NG226, 2022
A whole-joint condition
Osteoarthritis is a clinical diagnosis based on activity-related joint pain with little or no morning stiffness in people aged 45+. Imaging is only needed where the diagnosis is uncertain.[2]NICE NG226
Exercise before pills
NICE NG226 (2022) made a notable change: therapeutic exercise and weight loss are the core treatments. Paracetamol and weak opioids are not routinely recommended. Topical NSAIDs are preferred for knee OA; oral NSAIDs are short-course only.[2]NICE
Joint replacement
Hip and knee replacement, tracked by the National Joint Registry, is one of the most successful operations in modern medicine, with around 90% of implants still functioning at 15 years.[4]NJR
- [1] NHS. Osteoarthritis — overview · 2024
- [2] NICE. Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management — NG226 · 2022
- [3] Versus Arthritis. The State of Musculoskeletal Health · 2023
- [4] Royal College of Surgeons / National Joint Registry. NJR Annual Report · 2024