- Pain, stiffness, and limitation in full movement of the joint are typical. The stiffness tends to be worse first thing in the morning but tends to loosen up after half an hour or so.
- Swelling and inflammation of an affected joint can sometimes occur. (But note, affected joints are not usually very swollen, red or warm. Tell your doctor if a joint suddenly swells up or becomes red or hot as this is a symptom that more commonly occurs with other types of arthritis.)
- An affected joint tends to look a little larger than normal. This is due to overgrowth of the bone next to damaged cartilage.
- Deformities of joints due to Osteoarthritis are uncommon, but can sometimes develop.
- You may have poor mobility and problems walking if a knee or hip is badly affected. This may make you more likely to have a fall.
- If you have bad Osteoarthritis that affects your hip, you may have difficulty in putting on shoes and socks and getting in and out of a car.
- No symptoms may occur. Quite a number of people have X-ray changes that indicate some degree of Osteoarthritis but have no, or only very mild, symptoms. The opposite can also be true. That is, you may have quite severe symptoms but with only minor changes seen on the X-ray.
- Some people with Osteoarthritis may develop other problems because of their symptoms. For example, pain can affect sleep for some people. Mobility problems may affect your ability to work and carry our family duties. Some people may get down or even depressed because of their pain and other symptoms.
