Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in Australia.
- Is more common in women in men with 10% of females having osteoarthritis compared to 6% of males
- OA is the main condition leading to hip and knee replacement surgery.
People with OA will require surgery to manage their condition. The most common surgeries for the management of OA knee and hip replacements.
Costs for such procedures are high, with the average cost of knee replacement and hip replacement around $25,500 and $36,500 respectively.
It is important to bear in mind, these figures do not necessarily reflect the additional out-of-pocket costs expenses.
What's the risk?
Key risk factors for OA include.
- Age – 30% of people aged 65 and over have OA
- Obesity – people who are obese are 7 times more likely to have a than those of a healthy weight.
- Joint injury – sporting or work-related injury is the leading cause of knee OA in younger people.
