• What Is Osteoarthritis?
• Who Has Osteoarthritis?
• How Does Osteoarthritis Affect People?
• Osteoarthritis Basics: The Joint and Its Parts
• How Do You Know if You Have Osteoarthritis?
• How Do Doctors Diagnose Osteoarthritis?
• How Is Osteoarthritis Treated?
• Be a Winner! Practice Self-Care and Keep a "Good-Health Attitude"
• Current Osteoarthritis Research
• Hope for the Future
• Additional Osteoarthritis Resources

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
(301) 495-4484 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free of charge)
TTY: (301) 565-2966
Fax: (301) 718-6366
niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov
http://www.niams.nih.gov/index.htm

NIAMS provides information about various forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. It distributes patient and professional education materials and also refers people to other sources of information.

American College of Rheumatology
1800 Century Place, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 633-3777
Fax: (404) 633-1870
www.rheumatology.org

This association provides referrals to rheumatologists and physical and occupational therapists who have experience working with people who have osteoarthritis. The organization also provides educational materials and guidelines.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
P.O. Box 2058
Des Plaines, IL 60017
(800) 824-BONE (2663) (free of charge)
www.aaos.org

The academy provides education and practice management services for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals. It also serves as an advocate for improved patient care and informs the public about the science of orthopaedics. The orthopaedist's scope of practice includes disorders of the body's bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. For a single copy of an AAOS brochure, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address above or visit the AAOS Web site.

Arthritis Foundation
1330 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
Call your local chapter (listed in the telephone directory),
or (800) 283-7800 (free of charge)
www.arthritis.org

The foundation is a major voluntary organization devoted to supporting research on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. The foundation publishes a free pamphlet on osteoarthritis and a magazine for members on arthritis and related conditions. It also provides up-to-date information on treatments, nutrition, alternative therapies, and self-management strategies. Chapters nationwide offer exercise programs, classes, support groups, physician referral services, and free literature.

Acknowledgments

The NIAMS gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Gayle Lester, Ph.D., Joan McGowan, Ph.D., James Panagis, M.D., Susana Serrate-Sztein, M.D., and Bernadette Tyree, Ph.D., NIAMS, NIH; Kenneth D. Brandt, M.D., Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis; Victor M. Goldberg, M.D., University Hospitals of Cleveland; Marc C. Hochberg, M.D., M.P.H., University of Maryland, Baltimore; John Klippel, M.D., the Arthritis Foundation, Atlanta; and Roland Moskowitz, M.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, in preparation and review of this publication. Special thanks also go to the patients who reviewed this publication and provided valuable input. Debbie Novak of Johnson, Bassin, and Shaw, Inc. wrote this booklet.

About NIAMS and Its Clearinghouse:

The mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a public service sponsored by the NIAMS that provides health information and information sources. Additional information can be found on the NIAMS Web site at http://www.niams.nih.gov/index.htm.

This booklet is not copyrighted. Readers are encouraged to duplicate and distribute as many copies as needed. Additional copies of this booklet are available from

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
NIAMS/National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
NIH Publication No. 02-4617