NEWSLETTER Your Resource for Health, Wellness, and Caring for Your Body INSIDE: • What Is Osteoarthritis? • 2025 Best of Loudoun • Seasonal Recipe
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Persistent joint pain can severely hamper your lifestyle. One of the more common causes of persistent and chronic joint pain, particularly among older people, is osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition that causes joint inflammation. People with osteoarthritis (OA) will struggle with pain and stiffness in the affected joints, making it difficult to live the type of active lifestyle that could help them manage their symptoms. If you’ve been diagnosed with OA, the physical therapists at Loudoun Physical Therapy can help you better understand the condition, ensuring you get the relief you need. Call us today to learn more. What Is Osteoarthritis? Examining the Causes and Risk Factors Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the world, affecting around 3.5% of the global population–and nearly 32.5 million Americans. Its primary symptoms are joint pain and immobility; if left unaddressed, it can profoundly impact your overall quality of life. But how do you address OA, a condition with no current cure? We can start by looking at what causes the joint inflammation. The joints in your body contain two materials that help protect the bones: • Cartilage , a flexible tissue that acts as a shock absorber and prevents the bones in a joint from rubbing against each other • Synovial fluid , a substance that lubricates your joint whenever you move Osteoarthritis occurs when these materials degenerate, causing your bones to rub against each other. Without protection from cartilage and WHY OSTEOARTHRITIS IS SUCH A PAIN– AND HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP
synovial fluid, basic joint movements become painful, the joint tissue becomes inflamed, and your range of motion diminishes. But what causes that degeneration? Researchers aren’t sure, but it’s tied to aging–your risk of developing osteoarthritis increases as you get older. Around 80% of people over 65 have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in their joints, although not all of them experience symptoms. Certain factors beyond aging can also increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Most of these factors contribute to the tissue degeneration that causes OA:
• Genetics
• Past injury to a joint (particularly a weight-bearing joint)
• Jobs that require repetitive squatting, bending, or twisting
• Excess weight
How Do I Know If It’s Osteoarthritis? There are many reasons someone might experience joint pain beyond osteoarthritis, so it is important to seek out an expert, such as the physical therapists at Loudoun Physical Therapy, for a diagnosis. That said, certain types of pain and other symptoms could indicate you’ve developed OA, especially if you’re over 50:
• Pain that flares up during activity but lessens with rest
• Pain when you press on the joint
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