What is osteoarthritis, the condition Dawn French has?
Dawn French has given a glimpse of what it’s like to have osteoarthritis, a painful condition that affects joints and can cause stiffness.
The actor, 65, who has previously opened up about her condition, showed fans several exercises she was doing to help her “crumbly knee”.
Posting a series of pictures to her Instagram Stories, French captioned them with: "Glamourous start to the day when you have a crumbly knee." She added the hashtags, #loveosteoarthritis, and #itsallgreatfun.
French previously opened up about her rheumatoid arthritis in December 2020. "It’s a privilege to get older, but it’s not for wusses," she told the Radio Times.
"Things go a bit wrong… your rheumatoid arthritis knee stops you walking your dog a long way every morning, you know you’ve got to have a little op on that at some point, and you’ve got to take six weeks off… But ultimately, it ain’t so bad. Your teeth are a bit yellower, your chin has sagged, you’re fatter, you’re greyer."
Osteoarthritis usually begins in an isolated joint and wears away the smooth cartilage, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the immune system and more widespread joints. It is unclear whether French has one or both of these conditions, but as rheumatoid arthritis can lead to osteoarthritis it’s likely she has both.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects around 8 million people in the UK. It tends to develop in adults over the age of 40, and is more common in women or people with a family history of the condition.
It can also occur younger, or at any age, as a result of injury or other joint-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Obesity is another causing factor, as additional weight can put strain on your joints.
Osteoarthritis is generally isolated to one joint at first - the most common being hands, spine, knee, and hips - and erodes the smooth cartilage lining until it begins to roughen and thin out.
Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis
Pain and stiffness in your joints (which can come and go in episodes, and be affected by activity levels or the weather)
Joint tenderness
Joints appearing more ‘knobbly’
Stiffness in joints when you haven’t moved them for a while
Loss of muscle bulk
Limited range of movement in joints
If you have osteoarthritis in your knees, both knees will generally be affected in time and you may feel as if your knees ‘give way’ beneath you or you have difficulty straightening your legs.
Osteoarthritis in the hip tends to present itself as difficulty moving and bending from the hip, like getting out of a car or putting shoes on.
In the hand, osteoarthritis tends to affect one or all of these areas: the base on your thumb, the middle joints of your fingers, and the joints closest to fingertips.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your GP to book an appointment.
Osteoarthritis treatment
While there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are several things you can do to help relieve the symptoms, such as maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, taking pain-relieving medication, and supportive therapies.
Surgery is also sometimes considered to help repair, strengthen and replace damaged joints in severe cases.
Watch: Repetitive Activities Like Running Don't Increase Risk of Osteoarthritis, Study Finds
