Exercise not medication.

Yes. Once the cartilage has gone it's gone! However, exercise is good for all round body health. I'm happily back to it after two knee replacements and a hip replacement.

I think today's news is a partial truth.
Yes, exercise is beneficial for our physical and mental health and up to a point, will help with OA. But when joints become misaligned as the disease takes its inexorable toll, exercise will make not a jot of difference. Hip replacement has been a game changer for me.

I have multi joint OA with 2 hip replacements and was often in a lot of pain i took anti-inflammatories for years but weaned myself off them a few years ago. I now walk every day and do some strength exercises/stretches daily
and whether its the exercise or I've just got used to the pain but i definitely move better and pain levels feel less in my knees, spine and hands. Exercise in my opinion is rarely a bad thing.

That should be my hands are less painful!

I think the pain I get from OA is minor compared to yours and I mostly manage without pain relief. I find long-acting ibuprofen helps if I do need something.

I’ve been working with a personal trainer since the beginning of the year and funnily enough, I thought just this morning that my knees are becoming less painful as I build up strength. I can go up stairs more easily and my body just feels more ‘free’ than it did. The exercises we do involves quite a lot of use of our hands and my hands are painful as well.

It’s been a challenge to do this training and I’ve taken painkillers before the sessions to help but I do think it’s paying off.