Advanced osteoarthritis is the most severe form of osteoarthritis. If medication and other therapies no longer help, surgery can improve symptoms and quality of life.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that causes degenerative (progressive) joint damage.
The progression of osteoarthritis is classified as mild, moderate, or severe. In severe, or advanced, osteoarthritis:
- Your cartilage has worn away.
- The space between the bones in your joint is much smaller than it used to be.
- Your joint feels warm and inflamed.
- The amount of fluid lubricating your joint has decreased.
- You have more bone spurs.
- Bones rub together at the joint.
- You’ll likely experience pain and discomfort when moving the joint.
- The pain may prevent you from carrying out daily activities.
There’s no cure for advanced osteoarthritis or a way to reverse the damage it causes.
However, a treatment plan could help improve mobility, provide relief from symptoms, and slow the progression of the disease.
Keep reading to learn more about the progression, symptoms, and treatment for advanced osteoarthritis.
The progression of osteoarthritis depends on several factors, such as:
- how severe your symptoms were at diagnosis
- which joints are affected
- your overall health
- how much you use the affected joint
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With an early diagnosis, however, it’s possible to slow the progression of osteoarthritis by following a number of lifestyle and medical choices. Once osteoarthritis starts, it can take years or even decades to reach severe joint damage.
Pain and stiffness, especially in the morning, are the main symptoms of osteoarthritis.
In advanced osteoarthritis, however, these symptoms may
For example, if you have osteoarthritis of the hands, it may be hard to do things that need dexterity or grasping, such as opening a jar.
If you have osteoarthritis in the knee or hip, it may be difficult to walk, climb stairs, or lift objects.
Other symptoms of advanced osteoarthritis may
- limited joint function, mobility, and flexibility
- crepitus, which is a grating or crackling noise when you move the joint
- joint weakness, buckling, or instability
- severe joint swelling
Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition caused by the degeneration of cartilage. This is the tissue between the ends of your bones that protects them from rubbing together.
According to the
However, several risk factors have been identified that may lead to the development or worsening of osteoarthritis. These may
- genetics
- joint and muscle overuse, such as from working a job that involves kneeling
- being over age 50 years
- being assigned female at birth
- having obesity or overweight
- having experienced past joint, tendon, or ligament injuries
Learn more about the causes of osteoarthritis.
Various measures could help you slow the progression of osteoarthritis.
If you have obesity or overweight, losing weight is one of the most important measures to help slow the progression of advanced osteoarthritis. Research suggests that losing 1 pound of body weight may reduce the pressure on your lower body joints by up to
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Other prevention tips to help slow the progression of advanced osteoarthritis include:
- getting 150 minutes of low impact exercise per week
- regularly stretching to help improve flexibility and relieve stiffness
- physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles around specific joints and improve balance
- using supportive devices like braces, splints, and kinesiology tape to stay active
- using assistive devices like a cane to help you balance and lower the risk of falls
Learn more about how to prevent and slow the progression of osteoarthritis.
In the early stages of osteoarthritis, a
However, as the disease progresses and your symptoms worsen, a healthcare professional will likely recommend other treatments. These may include:
- prescription medications, such as stronger NSAIDs, pain relievers, or opioids
- injection therapies, such as corticosteroids, arthrocentesis, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and hyaluronic acid (HA)
If these treatments don’t help relieve your symptoms of advanced osteoarthritis, a healthcare professional may recommend joint replacement surgery.
During this surgery, a surgeon will resurface part or the entirety of the affected joint with a prosthetic device that performs the same function. The most common joint replacement surgeries are for the knees and hips.
Joint replacement surgery can be disruptive to your life, but it’s temporary. Many people find it has a positive impact on their quality of life once they recover.
For example, more than 90% of people who undergo total knee replacement surgery report a significant improvement in their pain levels, mobility levels, and quality of life, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Other types of surgery for advanced osteoarthritis include:
- osteotomy
- bone fusion (arthrodesis)
- arthroscopy
Learn more about the treatments for osteoarthritis.
What is the life expectancy of a person with osteoarthritis?
A 2019 study found that people with osteoarthritis were more likely to have a shorter life expectancy than people without the condition. The authors note the biggest factor for this may be due to a decrease in walking frequency, as well as sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.
What is end stage osteoarthritis?
End stage osteoarthritis refers to advanced or severe osteoarthritis. During this stage, the cartilage between the bones of the affected joint is likely to be worn away. This means your bones may be
What stage is advanced osteoarthritis?
Advanced osteoarthritis refers to the most severe type of the disease.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that causes cartilage to break down over time, leading to symptoms like joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation.
There’s no cure for advanced osteoarthritis, but a healthcare professional could help develop a treatment plan to:
- slow the progression of the disease
- provide relief from symptoms, such as stiffness, pain, and inflammation
- improve function, mobility, and quality of life
This may include lifestyle changes, medications, physical therapy, and surgery.