“It's just wear and tear.” Many people with osteoarthritis have heard these words from a friend, a relative or even a health professional. They sound harmless, but they paint the wrong picture of what is happening inside your joints, and that picture can hold you back.
The problem with “wear and tear”
The phrase suggests joints are like parts of a machine that slowly grind down with use until they need replacing. Arthritis UK puts it plainly: our joints are not like car tyres. They are living tissue that the body is constantly maintaining and repairing (Arthritis UK, 2023).
Osteoarthritis happens when a joint can no longer repair itself as well as it once could (Arthritis UK, n.d.b). The balance between damage and repair tips, and the joint changes. That is very different from a joint simply being “worn out”.
The “wear and tear” myth compared with what really happens in osteoarthritis.
It isn't just about bones, either
Osteoarthritis affects the whole joint, not only the bone. In a healthy joint, cartilage (a smooth, slippery tissue) covers the ends of the bones so they glide over each other. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes thinner and rougher, and the body's repair response can bring other changes (NHS, n.d.; Arthritis UK, n.d.b):
- Small bony growths, called osteophytes, can form around the edges of the joint.
- The joint lining can thicken and make extra fluid, causing swelling.
- The muscles, ligaments and tendons around the joint can be affected too.
Key insight: osteoarthritis is not osteoporosis
The names sound alike, but they are different conditions. Osteoarthritis affects the whole joint. Osteoporosis is when bones lose strength and become more likely to break.
Myth versus reality
| The “wear and tear” myth | What really happens |
|---|---|
| Joints quietly grind down with use | Joints are living tissue, where damage and repair both happen |
| Only the bone is damaged | The whole joint is involved: cartilage, lining, bone, muscles and ligaments |
| It can only get worse | It doesn't necessarily get worse, and it can sometimes gradually improve |
| Using the joint wears it out faster | The right kind of movement helps support and protect the joint |
Sources: Arthritis UK (2023; n.d.b); NHS (n.d.).
Why the words matter
A study of 27 people in Australia waiting for knee replacement surgery found that all of them believed their knee was “bone on bone”. More than half believed the cause was “wear and tear” and that putting weight through the knee would damage it further. Most believed physiotherapy and exercise would make their pain worse, and they preferred surgery or experimental treatments (Bunzli et al., 2019).
These beliefs can lead people to:
- avoid movement for fear of causing damage
- skip treatments with good evidence, such as exercise
- see surgery as the only real fix
- feel there is nothing they can do for themselves.
That is a shame, because staying active is one of the best things you can do. Exercise strengthens the muscles that support the joint, eases stiffness and can help with pain (Arthritis UK, n.d.a). The NHS also notes that osteoarthritis “doesn't necessarily get any worse over time and it can sometimes gradually improve” (NHS, n.d.).
Key insight: a better question to ask
If a health professional describes your joint as “wear and tear”, it is fine to ask: “What is actually happening in my joint, and what can I do to help it?”
You're far from alone
| Osteoarthritis in the UK | Figure |
|---|---|
| Adults with osteoarthritis | About 10 million |
| Adults with knee osteoarthritis | About 5.4 million |
| Adults with hip osteoarthritis | About 3.2 million |
| People newly diagnosed each year | About 350,000 |
Source: Arthritis UK (2025).
Arthritis UK also estimates that half of us will have osteoarthritis by the age of 70 (Arthritis UK, 2023).
Taking charge
There is a lot you can do to manage osteoarthritis (Arthritis UK, n.d.b):
- Keep moving at a level that feels comfortable, and build up gradually.
- Build strength in the muscles around your joints.
- Aim for a healthy weight to reduce the load on weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips.
- Pace yourself on busy days, balancing activity with rest.
- Use pain relief and aids when you need them, with advice from your GP or pharmacist.
Free exercise help
- Let's Move with Leon: Arthritis UK's free 12-week programme of gentle 30-minute sessions. You can also watch the sessions on YouTube.
- Exercising with arthritis: Arthritis UK's guide to getting started, with exercises for specific joints.
- On this blog: Move to Improve, Motion is Lotion and our free follow-along arthritis workouts.
References
Arthritis UK (2023) Why osteoarthritis isn't just a bit of wear and tear. Available at: https://www.arthritis-uk.org/news/2023/december/why-osteoarthritis-isnt-just-a-bit-of-wear-and-tear/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Arthritis UK (2025) The State of Musculoskeletal Health 2025. Available at: https://www.arthritis-uk.org/media/flpbvm2m/arthritisuk_state_of_msk_health_-report_2025.pdf (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Arthritis UK (n.d.a) Exercising with arthritis. Available at: https://www.arthritis-uk.org/information-and-support/living-with-arthritis/health-and-wellbeing/exercising-with-arthritis/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Arthritis UK (n.d.b) Osteoarthritis. Available at: https://www.arthritis-uk.org/information-and-support/understanding-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Arthritis UK (n.d.c) Let's Move with Leon. Available at: https://www.arthritis-uk.org/information-and-support/living-with-arthritis/health-and-wellbeing/exercising-with-arthritis/lets-move-with-leon/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS (n.d.) Osteoarthritis. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarthritis/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Bunzli, S., O’Brien, P., Ayton, D., Dowsey, M., Gunn, J., Choong, P. and Manski-Nankervis, J.A. (2019) ‘Misconceptions and the acceptance of evidence-based nonsurgical interventions for knee osteoarthritis: a qualitative study’, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 477(9), pp. 1975–1983. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1097/CORR.0000000000000784 (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
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Important medical disclaimer
The content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, psychiatrist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Never start, stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber first.
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