New step towards osteoarthritis diagnosis? Symptoms are first noticed when people climb the stairs

People with early forms of osteoarthritis are most likely to first notice pain when doing activities that that involves bearing weight using their knees, according to a new study published in Arthritis Care & Research.
Experts looked at which patient-reported activities are first associated with knee pain, in order to improve early detection and treatment of osteoarthritis. They used data from 491 people who had osteoarthritis (or were at high risk of it) who completed surveys for up to seven years.
Pain tended to be noticed first when people used stairs. This was followed by pain emerging during walking, standing, lying or sitting and then finally when resting in bed.
“Knee pain is most likely to first appear during weight-bearing activities involving bending of the knee, such as using stairs,” the researchers say. “First appearance of this symptom may identify a group suitable for early intervention strategies.”

Image credit: Kim Strømstad
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