According to GLA:D Canada, here are some ways you can diagnose osteoarthritis:

A few early signs of hip or knee osteoarthritis may be that stiff feeling in your joints in the morning or when you have been sitting still for a longer period of time. You may notice this the most when you are performing everyday tasks such as going down the stairs or putting your socks on. It is worth noting that osteoarthritis pain and symptoms begin slowly and occur intermittently where you have a bad period, followed by a better one. If you happen to get a x-ray done, depending on the stage of your osteoarthritis, you may see decreased joint space, osteophytes, cyst formation, and/or sclerosis of the bone beneath the cartilage. Remember that the severity of osteoarthritis is not dependent on the x-ray results, so listen to the health professionals to determine how severe your OA is. 

How to treat your osteoarthritis: 

One of the best things you can do for your osteoarthritis is to learn more about it through educational resources and programming. This way, you will learn more about various ways you can treat your OA in order to reduce the symptoms and improve the overall function of the joint. There are special exercises you can perform to relieve the pain and boost the overall joint function until you reach a point where you are more active. By staying physically active, you can also help maintain your weight or increase it to a point where you are losing weight to help control your OA symptoms. If you have osteoarthritis and you are also considered overweight, there is almost two to three times more weight on your joints which can cause more problems for you in the near future. You can also take the support of assistive devices such as shoe inserts, knee braces, and other walking devices to help individuals with limited mobility due to their osteoarthritis. 

If you think any of the above methods of treatment are not as helpful when it comes to alleviating your OA symptoms, you could ask your physician for some medication to help reduce pain, swelling or any potential stiffness that may prevent you from partaking in your daily routine. 

Looking for more information on how to stay active and manage your Osteoarthritis symptoms? Helping my Arthritis offers current education and treatment options around first and second-line physiotherapy for hip and knee osteoarthritis patients around Surrey, Delta, and Vancouver BC. With the recent growth in telehealth options, we are able to now offer osteoarthritis management programs to patients living anywhere in BC! Reach out today to learn more about how to help your arthritis, call 604-306-0127 or email to consult with Nadine Plotnikoff, the physiotherapist behind Helping My Arthritis.