Core components of best evidence OA care: management planning, education, supporting self-management and behavior change

This chapter introduces the core components of best evidence OA care: education and support for self-management, increasing physical activity and exercise, and weight control. Management and treatment plans need to include these core treatments where relevant to the individual and should be tailored, person-centered, and goal-driven. Plans based on a theoretical framework, such as Social Cognitive Theory, provide individuals with OA the greatest opportunity to successfully self-mange. This chapter will identify the key elements for management planning, describe how education and supporting self-management can help people with OA better manage their symptoms, and outline how elements of behavior change can be used in OA management.