Broken Machines or Active Bodies? Part 3. Five Recommendations to Shift the Way Clinicians Communicate With People Who Are Seeking Care for Osteoarthritis

SYNOPSIS: In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we highlighted the dominant impairment way of talking about osteoarthritis: talking that frames osteoarthritis as a disease of cartilage worsened by physical activity that can only be "cured" by replacing the joint. An alternative understanding that counters common misconceptions about osteoarthritis, and links physical activity and healthy lifestyles to improvements in symptoms is likely a prerequisite for sustainable behavior change. It is insufficient to tell people with osteoarthritis that regular physical activity is important; people need to understand and experience how physical activity can help. Here, we offer suggestions for how clinicians can shift from focusing on what people cannot do because of osteoarthritis, toward focusing on what people can do to improve their health and maintain "active bodies." J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(7):1-6. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11881.