Not just a touch of arthritis

Not just a touch of arthritis – tackling osteoarthritis – the UK’s leading cause of pain and disability

Published in February 2022 by Versus Arthritis

The ‘Not just a touch of arthritis’ report showed that thousands with osteoarthritis were frequently left in severe pain and struggled to remain in work due to failures in treatment

Through research carried out during the pandemic, commissioned and funded by Pfizer UK in 2020, the report revealed a large disparity in how many people are being recommended or ‘prescribed’ non-drug treatments as opposed to medication.

It also showed a failure to meet clinical guidelines for treating people with osteoarthritis resulting in thousands experiencing pain and losing work and income, as well people’s careers and finances.

Key findings

The survey of people with osteoarthritis found:

• around six out of 10 people (61%) still working thought they would, or might have to, retire early, because of their condition
• two out of 10 (19%) respondents reported that they had already reduced their working hours because of their osteoarthritis
• 17% of respondents said they had already retired early.

The report recommended clinicians and health services adapt a personalised, holistic approach to the treatment of osteoarthritis and called for a step-change in support in three key areas:

• Personalisation with a more holistic relationship developed between patient and healthcare professionals providing care, whereby the full range of treatments and support is offered, and guidance in being able to explore alternative routes is offered
• Innovation through improved diagnosis and coding of osteoarthritis in primary care. This is urgently needed to better understand the prevalence of osteoarthritis at a local level, as well as maximising latest technology
• Prevention of osteoarthritis, both before symptoms are present to prevent onset of the condition, and after people have symptoms to prevent rapid progression, must be a priority for healthcare providers.

The impact of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis – one of the fastest growing causes of pain and disability in the UK – affects around 8.5 million people and is estimated to double to 17 million by 2030, further increasing the burden on the health service, the workforce and the economy.

The overwhelming majority of people with osteoarthritis were prescribed painkillers – more than eight in 10 people (84%) – compared to an intervention such as exercise, which only half (52%) of people had been recommended.

44% of people with osteoarthritis also said they do not have regular reviews to discuss their condition, raising fears many people are languishing in pain with ineffective treatments that are restricting their ability to live well with their condition.

This is in stark contrast to best practice guidelines on managing osteoarthritis produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). These recommendations advise taking a holistic approach to treating and supporting people, including exercise and mental health support, alongside regular reviews.

Of great concern was the severity of pain many people reported, with a third of people saying they experienced severe pain every day. If these survey results are representative of the UK population, it means millions of people are living with debilitating pain because of their osteoarthritis every single day of their lives.

Heather Martin, 67, has lived with osteoarthritis for many years but managed to work as a registered nurse until she took early retirement in her 50s. She said:

“Pain relief is a huge concern for me – where or what next? I’m limited in what medication I can use as I react badly to so many tablets. I found a nerve blocker worked for me with little side effects, but I have now reached the maximum dose I can take, and I am experiencing some unpleasant side effects.

“The restrictions that loom for my independence and enjoyment of a rich social life impacts on my mental wellbeing as it’s hard to keep positive, especially after losing at least one good year to lockdowns through the pandemic.

“I’m grateful for getting information through Versus Arthritis as the GPs are not as well informed as they could be. The options for pain control, for example, seem particularly limited to medication and no other therapeutic interventions have proved to be helpful.”

Exercise has been shown to reduce joint pain and improve mobility in people with osteoarthritis, and some studies have shown that exercise has additional benefits: it can boost emotional wellbeing and lead to greater self-reliance, reduced disability and helplessness.

Through physical activity programmes like Let’s Move, Versus Arthritis has seen first-hand the benefits to people with osteoarthritis engaging in appropriate physical activity, especially in peer group settings, to improve their mobility, help manage their pain and reduce their overall sense of isolation.