Moving away from osteoarthritis pain

+Healthcare Handbook
In print
EDUCATION

Moving away from osteoarthritis pain

Carmen Pope

Physical activity
Physical activity can make a real difference to a person’s osteoarthritis symptoms, and group exercise may produce greater improvements than exercising alone [Image: iStock.com]

HILDA IS A LOCAL CUSTOMER AGED IN HER 70s who asks you for something for her knees. She says they creak and feel stiff when she gets out of bed, and they hurt a little when walking. She has always been very active and healthy, and does not take any medications, and she would like to keep up her daily walks with her ladies’ group.

Osteoarthritis is by far the most common form of arthritis, affecting approximately 10 per cent of all adults in New Zealand. It is a condition where
References

1. Age Concern New Zealand. Arthritis.

2. Mayo Clinic. Osteoarthritis. 16 June 2021.

3. BPACnz. Managing pain in osteoarthritis: focus on the person. 26 January 2018.

4. Fookes C (Tech Ed). Osteoarthritis. Healthcare Handbook 2023–2024. Auckland, NZ: The Health Media Ltd; 2023.

5. Healthify He Puna Wairoa. Osteoarthritis | Pona ngoikore. 20 December 2022.

6. JointFlex. How to Alleviate Joint Pain Through Muscle Strengthening.

7. New Zealand Formulary. 10.1 Osteoarthritis and soft-tissue disorders. NZF v133; 1 July 2023.

8. Ngan V. Capsaicin cream. DermNet, 2002.

9. Pharmac. Capsaicin. Community Schedule; July 2023.

10. Rannou F, Pelletier JP, Martel-Pelletier J. Efficacy and safety of topical NSAIDs in the management of osteoarthritis: Evidence from real-life setting trials and surveys. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2016;45(4 Suppl):S18–21.

11. Conaghan PG, Arden N, Avouac B, et al. Safety of paracetamol in osteoarthritis: What does the literature say? Drugs Aging 2019;36(Suppl 1):7–14.

12. Liu X, Eyles J, McLachlan AJ, Mobasheri A. Which supplements can I recommend to my osteoarthritis patients? Rheumatology (Oxford) 2018;57(Suppl 4):iv75–87.