Living with osteoarthritis is a balancing act: an exploration of patients’ beliefs about knee pain

• DOI: 10.1186/s41927-018-0023-x
• Publication Date: 2018-06-07T06:29:58Z
• Authors: Ben Darlow; Melanie Brown; Bronwyn Thompson; Ben Hudson; Rebecca Grainger; Eileen McKinlay; J. Haxby Abbott
• Keywords: Certainty

This study aimed to explore the beliefs of people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) about disease, and how these had formed what impact on activity participation, health behaviour, self-management.Semi-structured interviews were conducted 13 OA recruited from general practices, community physiotherapy clinics, public advertisements in two provinces New Zealand. Data analysed using Interpretive Description.Two key themes emerged. 1) Knowledge: certainty uncertainty described participants' strong anatomical changes their knee. Participants' a biomechanical model progressive joint degradation often appeared originate within clinical encounters literal interpretation term 'wear tear'. These led regarding daily symptoms ability influence rate decline that replacement surgery represented only effective solution fix damaged 2) Living broader perspectives living perceived need balance competing values risks when making decisions medication, attentional focus, accessing care, most today without sabotaging tomorrow. Misunderstandings negatively impacted behaviours, self-management decisions.Biomechanical models reduced participant exploration management options underpinned values. Improved information provision could help guide positive behaviour ensure are grounded current evidence.