Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of osteoarthritis - UpToDate

INTRODUCTION Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest form of arthritis and possesses marked variability of disease expression. Although most patients present with joint pain and functional limitations [1], the age of disease onset, sequence of joint involvement, and disease progression vary from person to person. OA ranges from an asymptomatic, incidental finding on clinical or radiologic examination to a progressive disabling disorder eventually culminating in "joint failure." The clinical features and approach to the diagnosis of OA will be reviewed here. The pathogenesis, epidemiology, and treatment of OA are discussed separately. (See "Pathogenesis of osteoarthritis" and "Epidemiology and risk factors for osteoarthritis".) CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS The primary symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) are joint pain, stiffness, and locomotor restriction. Symptoms usually present in just one or a few joints in a middle-aged or older person. Other manifestations in patients with OA include sequelae

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• Shauna Hsiao