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Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body. It can occur in the:
Hand
Osteoarthritis is common in the hand. It can affect the wrist joint, the base of the thumb, and the fingers.
Osteoarthritis seems to run in families. It affects more women than men. It often begins after menopause. Osteoarthritis may affect and enlarge the fingers. It may make them ache and become stiff. It can also cause bony knobs on finger joints.
Wrist osteoarthritis causes pain, swelling, limited motion, and weakness in the wrist joint. This can make it harder to lift things.
Spine
The spine is made up of bones called vertebrae. They are separated by discs. These spongy “shock absorbers” help the spine to move. Osteoarthritis can affect the discs and other cartilage that help make the back flexible. This leads to pain and stiffness in the neck or lower back.
Neck and back pain are the most common symptoms of spine arthritis. Your arms and legs may feel weak and numb, too.
Spine osteoarthritis can come from years of wear and tear. But it is more common in people with curvature of the spine (scoliosis) and other backbone defects.
Knee
The knee is the body’s main weight-bearing joint. This makes knees prone to osteoarthritis. Arthritic knees may be stiff, swollen, and painful. They may hurt when you walk, climb stairs, and get in and out of chairs and bathtubs.
Women most often get osteoarthritis in both knees. In men, it’s generally in one knee and often linked to an old injury. Obesity is a main risk factor for knee osteoarthritis.
Hip
Hip osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness, and even severe disability. Early symptoms can affect the groin, buttocks, or thighs. As joint damage gets worse, the hip joint can get stiffer and more inflamed.
The condition can make it hard to bend, walk, and flex or rotate your hip. This can make it hard to dress, run errands, and even stand.
Walking aids, like canes or walkers, can help make your activities easier. If your pain can’t be relieved and you become very disabled, your doctor may suggest surgery to replace the hip joint.
Shoulder
The shoulder has two joints. Both joints are at risk for osteoarthritis.
One joint is where the collarbone meets the shoulder tip. The other joint is where the upper arm bone meets the shoulder blade. Your doctor must first learn which joint is affected to treat you properly.
Osteoarthritis is more common in the joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder tip. This leads to pain mainly in the front of the shoulder. You may also lose range of motion in the shoulder. It may be hard to hail a cab or comb your hair, for example. You may hear clicking or snapping when moving your shoulder. Osteoarthritis in this joint often results from a past injury to the joint.
Elbow
When you eat, drink, type, or write, you bend your elbow. If you have osteoarthritis in the elbow, this movement can be hard.
The elbow is a hinge made up of three bones. Like other hinge joints, such as the knees, the elbow joint moves in just one direction.
Elbow osteoarthritis is common in people who have broken a bone in the joint or hurt it badly. Overuse and repeated strain, such as swinging a tennis racket or golf club, also can bring on the condition.
The most common symptoms are:
- Pain
- Losing range of motion in the joint
You may not have both symptoms at once. People with elbow osteoarthritis often say that the joint “grates” or “locks” when they use it.
In more advanced stages, the elbow joint may swell, or some of the fingers in the affected arm may feel numb.
For information on common treatments for different joints, see Treating Pain Where It Lives.
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