Skip to contentCONDITIONS AND SYMPTOMS
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness and reduced function. This section links to the main guides for individual joints, bringing together symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and indications for surgery.
Main guides
- Hip osteoarthritis (in Polish) — symptoms, diagnosis, non-operative treatment and when to consider joint replacement.
- Knee osteoarthritis (in Polish) — from symptoms and X-rays to non-operative treatment, injections and assessment for replacement.
How to use this section
Each joint has a main guide to osteoarthritis. It brings together symptoms, diagnosis, non-operative treatment, reasons for reassessment and when surgery may be considered. This avoids splitting the same condition across several competing guides.
Why does an orthopaedic surgeon consider more than X-rays?
Degenerative changes are assessed alongside pain, stiffness, range of motion, gait and effects on daily life. Treatment may include education, suitable activity and exercise, medication, selected procedures and, for advanced symptomatic disease, surgery. Management varies with the joint and clinical situation.
Medical author
Tomasz Poboży - orthopaedic surgeon, MD, PhD — specialist in orthopaedics and musculoskeletal traumatology.
This educational material does not replace an individual consultation or medical examination. Last updated: 11 September 2026.