Symptoms:

Pain and stiffness in the joints are the most common symptoms. The pain is often worse after exercise and when placing weight or pressure on the joint.

Your joints become stiff and harder to move over time. You may notice a rubbing, grating, or crackling sound when you move the joint.

The phrase "morning stiffness" refers to the pain and stiffness people feel when they first wake up in the morning. Stiffness usually lasts for 30 minutes or less. It is improved by mild activity that "warms up" the joint.

During the day, the pain may get worse with activity and feel better when you are resting. After a while, the pain may be present when you're resting. It may even wake you up at night.

Some people might not have symptoms, even though x-rays show the changes of OA.

Signs and tests:

A physical exam can show:

• Joint movement may cause a cracking (grating) sound, called crepitation
• Joint swelling (bones around the joints may feel larger than normal)
• Limited range of motion
• Tenderness when the joint is pressed
• Normal movement is often painful

No blood tests are helpful in diagnosing OA.

An x-ray of affected joints will show a loss of the joint space. In advanced cases, there will be a wearing down of the ends of the bone and bone spurs.