My Osteoarthritis Journey: Causes, High Tech Solutions, Treatments, and Navigating Life with Chronic Joint Pain

I have always been athletic and take extremely good care of myself, but despite all the hard work, I found myself, 54 years old and in late perimenopause, in an operating room in September 2024 ready for my first hip operation. I often get gasps when I tell people about my condition. “You?”, “How is this possible? You are the healthiest person I know”, “Why?”.

I repeat the story over and over again. I even created several solo podcast episodes (here and here) about it in hopes of helping other women going through the same thing and to help them with tried and true solutions that bought me lots of time, brought relief to me and many others and ultimately to prepare for the surgery and recover quickly after should they need to go this route.

I have been living with osteoarthritis (OA) for years, without knowing it or truly understanding what was happening to my body at such a young age. Osteoarthritis is more than just a “wear-and-tear” disease; it’s a chronic, degenerative joint condition affecting millions worldwide. It’s an inflammation cascade that Dr. Elizabeth Yurth of Boulder Longevity Institute describes in this podcast episode. It’s brilliant. Her team at BLI guided me through the hardest of times and prepped me for the surgery with incredible hacks that I am sharing with you in the next post.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or exploring solutions, this guide delves into the causes, risk factors, and actionable steps to manage OA effectively. Women in menopause are dealing with hysterectomies, mastectomies, face lifts, knee replacements and other surgeries at lighting speed due to the loss of our hormones which can accelerate and exacerbate our conditions.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, often called degenerative joint disease, occurs when the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of bones wears down. This leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced joint mobility. Commonly affected areas include:

Knees (most prevalent)
Hips (more common in postmenopausal women)
Hands and spine

Globally, 528 million people—or 6.8% of the population—live with OA. It is the most common joint disorder, with increasing prevalence due to aging, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles. There are over 400,000 surgeries annually to treat OA in the U.S. alone.

Risk Factors for OA

OA is a complex interplay of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

Key contributors include:

Age: Risk increases as we grow older.
Gender: Women, particularly after menopause, are more likely to develop OA, especially in the hips.
Genetics: Family history plays a role in susceptibility.
Obesity: Extra weight puts added stress on joints.
Joint Injuries: Past trauma can predispose joints to OA.
Congenital hip disorders – hip dysplasia or femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
Smoking – A risk factor for nearly everything
Hormonal Changes: Estrogen loss during menopause impacts joint health.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Low levels of vitamins C, D, and K can contribute.
Occupation/Sports: Repetitive joint strain or injuries from high-impact activities increase risk. Just being athletic predisposes us.

Believe it or not, I had all of these risk factors with the exception of obesity, smoking and nutritional deficiencies. I was from the start predisposed to OA.

How Did This Happen to Me?

OA doesn’t have a single cause, and depending who I met, I got a different answer:

Physiotherapist: Physiotherapists blame it on poor movement patterns. Possibly due to compensation from a knee injury in my 20s
Nutritionist: A vegan will tell me my problem is that I eat meat. An autoimmune specialist will tell me I eat beans and nightshades.
Healer: A healer will tell me I have unresolved emotional trauma from my mother’s early death or generational trauma from my ancestors who lived through war and famine.
Surgeon: A surgeon tells me it’s underlying structural issues and purely mechanical

People know what they know. It’s natural for them to feel root causes are in their industry. I believe for many women, including athletes, hormonal shifts during the menopause transition accelerates the progression.

What Treatments Have I Tried?

OA management often involves trial and error. Here’s a breakdown of interventions I’ve explored that worked for me to bring relief:

Injections

PRP Injections: Helped tremendously to temporarily restore motion but became cost-prohibitive and stopped working over time.
Hyaluronic Acid Injections: Mild relief, but also became cost prohibitive

Lifestyle and Alternative Therapies

Physiotherapy Exercises: Mobility-focused rehab and blood flow restriction training (e.g., Kaatsu).
Anti-Inflammatory Diets: Reduced symptoms for short periods.
Red Light Therapy & Cryotherapy: Temporary pain relief. I love the Flexbeam
Supplements: Collagen, curcumin, essential amino acids, and Urolithin A supported joint and muscle health.
Ice bathing: reduces swelling and inflammation. Didn’t work every time, but was best when combined with sauna.
Traditional sauna: I noticed more relief with traditional sauna than infrared sauna
Massage: The only one that brought relief was an incredibly painful 2 hour massage in Vietnam. Pretty much the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life and I am not sure if my autonomic nervous system suffered as a result. Lol
Myofascial release: Brought temporary relief with only one practitioner in Prague, Czech Republic
Pain Reprocessing Therapy: Helped when I was laser focused on the pain.
Vibrating balls: Helped with tight psoas
Theragun: I should have invested in one of these

Unsuccessful Attempts

Despite investing thousands of dollars, these approaches unfortunately for me, didn’t yield results. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try them.

Pentosan Polysulfate: Showed no improvement, although I still believe it’s a great avenue to explore.
HRT: I believe this is foundational, but for me, I was on “baby dosages” for too long.
PRGF (Platelet Rich Growth Factors): Cheaper than PRP, but for me was not effective at all.
Block Therapy
Cryotherapy
Acupuncture
Acupressure
Magnetic Therapy
Supplements – curcumin, collagen, chondroitin, glucosamine, joint formulas
Fasting
Detoxes
Sleep hygiene
Meditation
Breathwork
Mindfulness
Yoga
Rolling
Cupping
Gua sha
PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Frequency) Mat
Neuromuscular Electrostimulation
Visualization
Indiba
Shock Therapy

What I would still explore

Unfortunately, I ran out of time and money to explore these last treatments, but would if I could.

Stem Cells
Exosomes
Inverse Table

Why Surgery Became My Choice

After exhausting conservative and alternative options, I opted for surgery. Here’s why:

Chronic Pain: Daily life became unbearable. I could not get into a car, ride a bike, or have intimacy with my husband.
Mental and Emotional Impact: The toll on mental health and overall quality of life was severe. When I recognized the physical price I would pay by the “thoughts in my head”, I realized it was time for surgery. The benefits now far outweighed the risks.
Future Mobility: Surgery offered the best chance for long-term improvement.

Choosing the Right Surgeon

If you’re considering surgery, keep these factors in mind:

Experience: How many hip surgeries has the surgeon performed?
Approach: Understand the surgical methods (anterior vs. side approach) and materials used (e.g., titanium, ceramic).
Patient Reviews: Check platforms like Healthgrades, Spokeo and Vitals.
Post-Operative Care: Assess the surgeon’s follow-up support.
Costs and Insurance: Ensure coverage for both the procedure and rehabilitation.

Life with OA: The Mindset Shift

Living with osteoarthritis has taught me resilience and compassion for others managing chronic pain. Whether you’re exploring treatments or preparing for surgery, remember:

OA is not the end. It’s a call to advocate for yourself and seek solutions.
Support systems—family, friends, and medical teams—are invaluable.

If you’re navigating OA, share your journey or questions below. Together, we can find ways to thrive.

Stay tuned for Part 2: My Pre-Op and Post-Op Hacks to learn how to optimize your body and mind for a successful recovery!

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