What happens to a joint with osteoarthritis?
It used to be seen simply as cartilage wearing away, but osteoarthritis is now understood as a disease of the whole joint—cartilage, the bone beneath it, the joint lining (synovium), ligaments and surrounding muscles. Cartilage thins, bony spurs (osteophytes) grow at the edges and the joint space narrows.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Typical signs are pain that worsens with activity and eases with rest, brief morning stiffness lasting under 30 minutes, grinding or creaking sounds, and swelling or changes in joint shape. It's diagnosed by exam and X-ray, though X-ray severity doesn't always match how much it hurts. A joint that suddenly becomes swollen and hot should be checked for other causes such as gout or infection.
Treatment
- Exercise: thigh strengthening, walking, cycling and water exercise are core treatments that improve pain and function.
- Weight loss: if you're overweight, every pound lost eases the load on your knees.
- Medication: topical NSAIDs, oral NSAIDs (weighing stomach, kidney and heart risks) and acetaminophen.
- Injections and surgery: steroid joint injections, and joint replacement for severe cases.
What do supplement trials show?
In the 1,583-person GAIT trial, glucosamine and chondroitin weren't meaningfully better than placebo, and a network meta-analysis of 10 large trials found pain differences below the smallest change patients notice. Curcumin (from turmeric) lowered pain scores versus placebo in meta-analyses of small trials, but the evidence is limited. Joint-pain studies have large placebo responses, so personal experience alone is a poor guide to whether something works.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
FAQ
- Should I stop exercising if my arthritic knee hurts?
- Usually not. Appropriate exercise is one of the most effective treatments; mild discomfort is OK, but sharp or worsening pain is a signal to adjust and check with a clinician or physical therapist.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-25
References
- Hunter, D. J., & Bierma-Zeinstra, S. (2019). Osteoarthritis. Lancet, 393(10182), 1745–1759.
- Kolasinski, S. L., et al. (2020). 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 72(2), 220–233.
- Wandel, S., et al. (2010). Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee. BMJ, 341, c4675.