Arthritis refers to a group of related conditions that affect the joints, often causing pain, stiffness, swelling, reduced range of movement, and increasing difficulty with everyday activities over time. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, results from gradual wear of joint cartilage, while rheumatoid arthritis is driven by an underlying inflammatory process, and post‑traumatic arthritis develops after previous injuries to a joint. Arthritis can affect virtually any joint in the body, including the knees, hips, shoulders, hands, and feet, and often affects more than one joint at a time.
When treatment is recommended
Treatment is generally considered once joint symptoms begin to meaningfully interfere with walking, work, exercise, sleep, or general daily activities. The most appropriate approach depends on several factors, including the specific type of arthritis present, the severity of symptoms, the degree of visible joint damage on imaging, your age, activity level, and how well you have responded to any previous treatment. Early and moderate arthritis can often be managed successfully with non‑surgical approaches alone. These commonly include lifestyle modification, weight management, physiotherapy, targeted strengthening exercises, appropriate medicines, supportive braces, and selected injections. Regular clinical assessment over time helps determine whether symptoms are genuinely responding to treatment or whether further intervention is likely to be needed.
About the procedure
Non‑surgical treatment aims primarily to reduce pain, improve joint movement, and maintain overall function for as long as possible. Depending on your condition, joint injections such as corticosteroid injections, or selected regenerative treatment options such as PRP (platelet‑rich plasma) or GFC, may be considered as part of a broader management plan. When arthritis progresses further and causes significant structural damage to the joint, surgical treatment may eventually be recommended. Procedures can include arthroscopy for certain selected conditions, osteotomy to correct particular alignment problems in earlier‑stage disease, and joint replacement for more advanced arthritis where the joint surfaces are severely worn. Joint replacement may ultimately be performed for severely affected knees, hips, shoulders, or other suitable joints, once appropriate. Importantly, the decision to proceed with surgery is based on clinical findings, imaging results, symptom severity, and functional limitation, never on age alone.
