However, under age 45, the prevalence of osteoarthritis is greater among men, where over age 55, the prevalence is greater for women. Approximately 40 out of 100 people are affected. Most doctors begin by recommending a combination of medicine plus exercise and rest. Medicine can be very helpful in reducing pain. If you can move without pain, or with less pain, you will be able to keep moving better and longer.
Regular exercise helps strengthen the muscles that support the joints.
The stronger those muscles are, the more comfortable you will be. Rest is also necessary, to relax the muscles and to keep you from overusing painful joints. With rested muscles, you can exercise better, too. Therefore, a good balance of exercise and rest is needed. Your particular treatment program will also depend on which and how many of your joints are affected, how far the disease has progressed, and what you want to do and can do.