Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative osteoarthropathy, is the most common joint disease, especially hazardous to the health of the elderly and a heavy burden to society. the prevalence of osteoarthritis in people over 65 years of age can reach more than 50%, and in people over 75 years of age, this value can reach about 85%. With the accelerated aging of the world and Chinese society, osteoarthritis has become an increasingly important topic of concern for doctors and patients, and even for society. What is osteoarthritis? In layman’s terms, osteoarthritis is a form of joint aging. Just as teeth fall out and hair turns gray when people get older, joints degenerate as we age. This degeneration is mainly manifested by the degeneration and wear of joint cartilage, which in turn leads to osteophytes (bone growth) and hardening. The normal joint surface is covered with a layer of cartilage, but as we age, the cartilage gradually degenerates, wears away, and even disappears, which is reflected on X-rays as narrowing of the joint space, bone growth, and bone hardening. What should I do if I have osteoarthritis? For patients with early or mid-stage osteoarthritis, while maintaining proper weight, adjusting lifestyle, and performing reasonable exercise and muscle strength exercises, different treatments can be given according to the specific conditions of the disease: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be given to relieve pain if the pain symptoms are obvious; a small amount of hormones can be applied intra-articularly to relieve symptoms if the joint is swollen and in the acute stage. In addition, the application of glucosamine may have a protective effect on cartilage and may have a slowing effect on the progression of osteoarthritis. Intra-articular injections of sodium glutamate may have a lubricating effect on the joints and may be used selectively in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Arthroscopic debridement is an option for patients with intra-articular free body or meniscal damage and significant symptoms as a result. For patients with advanced osteoarthritis, severe pain or deformity that is not relieved by conservative treatment, arthroplasty may be used to relieve pain or correct deformity and rebuild the function of the joint. Should I limit my activities if I have osteoarthritis? Some people believe that osteoarthritis is a long-term wear and tear, degenerative disease, therefore, after having osteoarthritis, you should try to minimize the activity, and even dare not walk more, especially for patients with joint pain, they are more afraid and reluctant to move. This is actually not true. Patients with osteoarthritis should be encouraged to be physically active unless they are in the acute phase of osteoarthritis and have swollen joints that require limited activity. Proper exercise not only prevents muscle atrophy and slows the progression of joint degeneration, but more importantly, has a preventive effect on the “three highs” (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia) and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and other diseases of the elderly. Osteoarthritis Exercise Tips: Life is about exercise. Patients with osteoarthritis should avoid high-intensity weight-bearing exercise, but also have a certain amount of activity. So which exercises are good for osteoarthritis? What is harmful? Beneficial exercises: 1) Joint range of motion exercises: This refers to daily exercises to move the joints in various directions and to try to make the joints as open as possible and move to their maximum limits. This is very important, and daily activities cannot replace joint range of motion exercises. Of course, if there is joint pain and swelling, it is necessary to exercise as gently as the pain can be tolerated. (2) Muscle exercise: Strong, powerful muscles keep the joint stable and make movement more comfortable. (3) Endurance exercise: Endurance exercise is not only good for the joints, but more importantly, for the heart and lungs, and can improve mental state. Among the various endurance exercise programs, walking, water exercise and cycling are the most commonly used. Walking is the ideal form of exercise for patients with osteoarthritis, and should be encouraged without special circumstances, except for patients with severe hip, knee and ankle disease and joint instability; water exercise, such as swimming or hot springs, is especially good for stiff, painful joints because the buoyancy of the water can reduce the gravitational force on the joints, and the warm water can also relax the muscles and reduce pain; cycling, especially the kind in the gym, is also a good exercise. Bicycle, is also a good exercise method, will not bring too much pressure on the joints of the lower limbs. Harmful Exercises: High-intensity weight-bearing exercise is bad for the joints, specifically: 1) climbing hills and stairs: climbing hills and stairs can put a lot of pressure on the patella in front of the knee, especially when the pressure of going down hills or stairs is two to three times higher than the pressure of climbing upwards. Therefore, for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, climbing hills and stairs should be avoided as much as possible. (2) Squatting: Some patients with osteoarthritis want to squat to exercise muscle strength and joint mobility, but in fact, this exercise is similar to climbing, climbing, is also bad for the knee, especially the patella, will accelerate the wear and tear of patellar cartilage damage. 3) Carrying heavy objects: Carrying or carrying heavy objects will increase the load on the joints.