Living well with OA

Living with OA can feel like a balancing act at times.

With more knowledge and support you will have more choices to help you live well.

Keep being you

OA is part of your life but it does not need to define your life. Aim to do the things that are important to you and things that you enjoy. Focus on what makes you ‘you’ and work out how to keep (or return to) doing these things. If this is hard, seek support to help find solutions that work for you.

Improve joint health

Your knee is designed to be used. It needs movement and load to stay healthy. Movement and weight-bearing activities help to nourish the cartilage and strengthen the bone. It is fine to feel some pain while doing this.

Many people worry that they will wear their joint out if they use it too much. Research shows exercise does not wear out cartilage.

Movement is also great for the tissues around the joint and muscle strength. Stronger muscles around the joint reduce the problems of OA.

Improve your well-being

Take part in life, be active, laugh, connect with others, and eat well. These will all help your well-being as well as your knee. You may have other health concerns as well as OA. Things that help OA will also help other areas of your health.

“It’s not about keeping well in my knee or keeping well in my heart. It’s keeping well in my whole body, and there’s no point in looking at just one part.”

JOHN, 68 YEARs OLD, knee pain for 4 years