Brits with painful arthritis should be told to train under new NHS guidance

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said aspirin may be effective but decided against routinely recommending acetaminophen or opioid drugs

Millions of Britons with painful arthritis should be told to exercise rather than prescribe painkillers, under new NHS guidelines.

GPs have been told to consider tailored exercises for the more than eight million people living with joint pain from osteoarthritis.

Muscle-strengthening exercises like squats and lunges might be prescribed, as well as aerobic exercise like cycling or swimming.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said aspirin may be effective but decided against routinely recommending acetaminophen or opioid drugs.

dr Paul Chrisp, Director at NICE, said: “Osteoarthritis can make people uncomfortable and prevent them from doing some of their normal daily activities.

“However, there is evidence that muscle strengthening and aerobic exercise may not only have an impact on the management of the condition, but also provide people with an improved quality of life.

“Starting this journey can be uncomfortable for some people at first, and they should be supported and provided with enough information to help them manage their condition over a long period of time.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. X-ray studies suggest that at least 50% of people over the age of 65 have signs of osteoarthritis.

The knees, hips and small wrists are most affected.

dr Chrisp added, “While topical and sometimes oral NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) remain an important treatment option for osteoarthritis, we have made the decision not to recommend some pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, and some opioids for osteoarthritis.

“This is because new evidence has shown that there has been little or no improvement in people’s quality of life, pain or psychological distress, and particularly in the case of strong opioids, there has been evidence that they can cause harm over the longer term, including a possible addiction. ”