Just diagnosed

Hi I'm only 40 I have it severe in both hips every day is a struggle at moment I need to lose weight after Xmas me self to ease the pain I've got twin girls age 9 to think about I'm a lone parent but it's a struggle with this it's in my family me mum as and her sisters have got it in there knees

i cannot comment on the weight as I don'tknow how overweight you are- but losing any usually helps. At the stage you are at with the knees consider  having you foot knee alignment checked by a podiatrist who might advise orthotics which could help ankle problems. As far as the knees I cannot recommend knee braces enought they kept me going for a long time. The sort with a knee hole in the centre which you can also use to help pull them on. I like the Vulcan make which can come up a bit tight and difficult to get on so err on the larger size if borderline. Some have an extra hinged brace in the sides but this is renovable if you don't like it.  You should be given a referral to a physio who will suggest exercies to do to strengthen the ligamens etc around the knee i.e. teh support network.

Yes I certainly think you have a good chance of plateauing. Six years ago I was in a similar state to the one you describe. I was taking non steroidal anti inflamatories and paracetamol daily. By losing over six stone and working with a physiotherapist I have been able to manage the osteoarthrItis in my knees and hips. Now I sometimes take the odd paracetamol but that's it. A regular exercise programme has strengthened my muscles which has helped a lot. Osteoarthritis can't be cured but it can be managed successfully, I think. By pacing myself and listening to my body I have been able to continue teaching and actually am now in much better shape than in 2010. My aim now is to do hydrotherapy more often. Just walking in 1.25 metres of walking helps so much. Good Luck it's not easy but well worth it. 

Hi Maeve!

I first began feeling issues relating to arthritis in my 30s. This followed the birth of my two sons in 1981 and 1988. I just attributed it to getting older, but I THINK now that it also had something to do with STRESS. I say that because, although I plateaued for another thirty years, in 2011 and 2012 my husband and I took care of my 99 then 100 year old mother in our home. This was VERY STRESSFUL! Both my husband's diabetes and pheripheral NEUROPATHY and my arthritis got much worse following that two years of physical and emotional stress.

I had both knees replaced in 2015.

Have YOU had any new stress that MAY have triggered YOUR arthritis? Just a thought!

I find that I am affected most in areas ofy body where I have had previous injuries: Knees (skated all my life and obviously had MANY falls on my KNEES!) Shoulder ( again, bad fall when out walking in 2009), fingers (have done A LOT of knitting, crocheting, writing, crafting over my 60+ years!), ankles ( sprained both in college), my back (probably from all the standing being a teacher and bending over desks etc. ) Hips (again, many falls on my bike, skating, and, yes, climbing all those trees as a kid!)

My family has arthritis on both sides, but I think ANYONE can get it. It seems to be hereditary, but injury and stress appear to really BRING IT ON for me.

I hope you will feel better. You have MANY who get what you are saying. Arthritis affects one in three people from what I have heard!