Acne

Understanding Acne

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Which joints are affected?

Osteoarthritis can develop in any joint, but most commonly affects:

• Knees – the most frequently affected joint, with around 5.4 million people in the UK living with knee osteoarthritis
• Hips – affecting around 3.2 million people in the UK
• Hands – particularly the finger joints and the base of the thumb
• Spine – especially the neck and lower back
• Feet – most often the joint at the base of the big toe

Common symptoms

• Joint pain that worsens with activity and towards the end of the day
• Stiffness after rest, often easing within around 30 minutes of getting moving
• Swelling or tenderness around the joint
• A grating or crackling sensation when you move (known as crepitus)
• educed range of movement, and weakness in the surrounding muscles

Who is at risk?

Osteoarthritis is more common from your mid-40s onwards and affects more women than men. Previous joint injuries, carrying extra body weight, a family history of the condition and years of repetitive strain on a particular joint can all increase your risk.

Why joint pain becomes chronic

Osteoarthritis often becomes a cycle. Pain and inflammation make you move less; moving less weakens the muscles that support the joint; and a less supported joint takes more strain, which brings more pain. Over time, your nervous system can also become more sensitive to pain signals – a process known as central sensitisation – so discomfort can feel greater than the physical changes in the joint alone would suggest.
Breaking this cycle means addressing more than one thing at once: inflammation in the joint, the health of the tissue itself, how your body processes pain, and the wider factors that keep inflammation switched on.

Not all joint pain is osteoarthritis

Persistent joint pain can also be caused by previous injuries, overuse, or inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, which need different medical management. If you haven’t had a diagnosis, we’d recommend speaking to your GP first. Our treatments are designed to complement, not replace, the care you receive from your GP or specialist.