The overarching themes indicated people with osteoarthritis delay their diagnosis , opting for self-management and informal information gathering .
This informal rather than health professional-led guidance is sought and maintained as an important re source throughout the care of this population and is valued .
There remains uncertainty regarding when this is required , but the expected failure of conservative treatment to manage pain and symptoms is common .
This may provide a more valuable perception of non-operative management to promote its adoption and adherence in managing osteoarthritis
Abstract This paper determines the perceptions of people diagnosed with osteoarthritis towards their conservative management strategies .
Individuals’ experience of living with osteoarthritis of the knee and perceptions of total knee arthroplasty
This study investigated the physical and psychosocial consequences of living with osteoarthritis ( OA ) in daily life and peoples ’ views of total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) and the role of physiotherapy . In-depth interview data were used from a prospect i ve qualitative study conducted by the senior author ( KY ) . Participants were 15 volunteers with knee OA who were awaiting TKA at a specialized orthopaedic tertiary care facility in Toronto . A modified grounded theory method approach was used to analyze the interview data . The findings showed that experiences for the participants with OA were conceptualized as a “ breakpoint . ” The breakpoint was centred on the experiences/processes of living with unremitting pain , the limitations of mobility , leisure and social activities , and the result ing consequences to the participant 's physical and psychological well-being . In addition to the above experiences , participants also discussed their perceptions of  TKA surgery .  The findings showed that expectations of TKA were linked to participants ’ knowledge of the procedure and its outcomes . The participants listed acquaintances , friends , family members , and doctors as the main sources of knowledge for TKA . On the basis of the above analysis , recommendations are made for developing a preoperative physiotherapy program that would focus on minimizing preoperative disability and maximizing postoperative recovery
The overarching themes indicated people with osteoarthritis delay their diagnosis , opting for self-management and informal information gathering .
This informal rather than health professional-led guidance is sought and maintained as an important re source throughout the care of this population and is valued .
There remains uncertainty regarding when this is required , but the expected failure of conservative treatment to manage pain and symptoms is common .
This may provide a more valuable perception of non-operative management to promote its adoption and adherence in managing osteoarthritis
Abstract This paper determines the perceptions of people diagnosed with osteoarthritis towards their conservative management strategies .