Osteoarthritis involves the degradation of the cartilage in the joints, causing pain and decreased functionality. This condition commonly affects the knees¹.

Osteoarthritis affects older people, and the population demography predicts that by 2030, the proportion of adults over the age of 60 would rise from 19% to 26%¹.

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that occurs when the cartilage between bones wear down over time. Some common causes of Osteoarthritis are depicted below:²

The symptoms of Osteoarthritis can vary from person to person. The typical symptoms of Osteoarthritis are as follows:²

Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed through the combination of medical history, physical examination, and radiology tests¹.

The treatment approach for an individual with Osteoarthritis may vary depending on the severity of the condition, the individual’s medical history, and functionality. This usually includes reduced weight bearing, muscle strengthening exercises, weight loss, and medications. In certain cases, knee injections and surgery may be considered^3-5.

Here are several measures that can be taken to prevent Osteoarthritis^3,6.

References

1. Clinical Practice Guideline: Osteoarthritis of the Knees. Available at: https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider4/guidelines/cpg_oa-kness_booklet.pdf. Accessed on: 13 February 2023.
2. Chen D, Shen J, Zhao W, et al. Osteoarthritis: Toward a comprehensive understanding of pathological mechanism. Bone Res. 2017;5:16044.
3. Arthritis Foundation | Symptoms Treatments | Prevention Tips | Pain Relief Advice. Available at: https://www.arthritis.org/. Accessed on: 14 February 2023.
4. Brosseau L, Yonge K, Welch V, et al. Thermotherapy for treatment of osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;2003:CD004522.
5. Grässel S, Muschter D. Recent advances in the treatment of osteoarthritis. F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-325.
6. Roos EM, Arden NK. Strategies for the prevention of knee osteoarthritis. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2016;12:92–101.

About Frontier Healthcare Group

Frontier Healthcare (as part of the Qualitas Primary Care Division) runs 18 GP clinics, 2 Family Medicine Clinics (Clementi and MacPherson) and has 37 affiliated GP clinics under its Frontier Primary Care Network Program. Frontier Healthcare supports national schemes such as the Community Health Assist Scheme (Pioneer, Merdeka, CHAS Green, CHAS Orange, CHAS Blue), Baby Bonus, Healthier SG, MBS@Gov etc, as well as partnerships with major Insurers, Corporates and TPA partners to bring quality and affordable healthcare closer to the community.