​​​​​​​People who cope best with OA are those who learn how to manage it. You know yourself best and are the best judge of what will work for you.

With any chronic condition like OA, there is no one thing that will cure it. But there are many things you can do to help you manage your joint health.

How can I learn to manage my OA?

There’s no cure for OA, but there are many things you can do to manage your symptoms and feel and move better. You can:

• Learn more about OA and any other chronic health problems you may have.
• Learn all you can about how to take care of the joints with OA.
• Learn more about lifestyle changes that can help you manage your OA.
• Learn what helps your joints feel better and what makes them feel worse. Talk to your healthcare provider about what you’ve learned and how it’s helping.
• Understand that managing OA can be a challenge. Talk to someone you trust or your healthcare team if you need support.
• Decide what’s important to you and take action.

If you’re ready to make a change that will help you manage your OA, start with 1 or 2 goals and break them down into smaller steps. Making changes can be hard if you try to make too many changes at once. Learn more about how to make a change that lasts.

What are the best ways to manage OA?

The best ways to manage OA involve the following:

• activity and exercise
• healthy eating
  
• managing pain
• maintaining mental and emotional well-being
• supportive therapies (like physiotherapy, braces, heat and cold)
• joint replacement surgery – hip replacement and knee replacement