10 million people in the UK live with osteoarthritis, making it the most common form of arthritis. The changes that occur in our joints in osteoarthritis can lead to pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty moving. These changes can have a huge impact on quality of life.
Your support is helping scientists carry out cutting-edge research to improve understanding of arthritis and find better treatments.
What is osteoarthritis?
Our joints are made up of complex living tissues that our bodies constantly repair and maintain. Osteoarthritis occurs when these repair systems aren’t as effective as usual. This can lead to the smooth and slippery cartilage that covers our bones becoming thinner and rougher. When our bodies try to repair these changes, other tissues in the joint can also change. This activity can lead to pain, stiffness and swelling.
What have we achieved?
Your support has allowed us to fund hundreds of researchers who are dedicating their careers to understanding osteoarthritis. This research has transformed our understanding of the condition, and we now know a lot more about the root causes.
Our researchers have made great progress in the last 20 years. Some of our biggest discoveries have helped show that:
- Osteoarthritis is not a simple or passive disease, nor an inevitability of ageing.
- Our genes play a big role in whether we develop osteoarthritis or not.
- There is a link between obesity and the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
Recent breakthroughs
Researchers are making new discoveries all the time. Thanks to your support, 2024 saw some exciting new findings from our researchers
PROMOTE study
The PROMOTE clinical trial found that methotrexate, a medicine already used for autoimmune conditions, can be effective in relieving the pain and stiffness caused by knee osteoarthritis.
While this study offers real promise of a new treatment for osteoarthritis pain, there are still more questions that need to be answered before methotrexate is prescribed for osteoarthritis. This includes understanding which people would benefit the most from this treatment.
OPPORTUNITY study
Researchers found that people waiting for joint replacement surgery were satisfied with a specially designed care package developed as part of this study. The package was easy to use and included exercise and weight loss tips, and shoe inserts. Their findings mean they can now carry out a bigger study to measure the effectiveness of the care package, which could help lead patients to better prepare for and recover from surgery
What do we want the future to look like?
With continued support, we're looking forward to the next 20 years of research. Huge progress is being made towards improving the diagnosis, treatment and management of osteoarthritis. But there is still a long way to go to make sure everyone with osteoarthritis has access to the support and treatments that will help them the most.
This year we'll be investing £3 million in an ambitious new research consortium. This funding will bring together teams of scientists to answer some of the biggest outstanding questions and improve the outlook for everyone with osteoarthritis.
Help to fund vital research and find the treatments that millions of people with arthritis need