Your 75 year old, obese female patient has recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. She tells you that she was advised to exercise, but is afraid that this may make her symptoms worse. As her nurse, you explain that:

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Patients with osteoarthritis in the knees and hips should be counseled to lose weight. Non-weight bearing exercises, such as swimming, have demonstrated efficacy in reducing some of the painful symptoms of osteoarthritis. The use of cold packs, taking oral glucosamine, as well as the use of topical rubs containing capsaicin have shown to be of modest benefit in treating osteoarthritis.

Your 75 Year Old, Obese Female Patient Has Recently Been