The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in the affected joints. The pain is usually worse when you move the joint or at the end of the day. Your joints may feel stiff after resting, but this usually goes away fairly quickly once you start moving.

Symptoms often vary for no apparent reason - you may have several weeks of great discomfort, followed by weeks of relatively little discomfort. Or perhaps you notice that your symptoms vary depending on what you do or how long you do it.

The affected joint may sometimes be swollen. The swelling may feel different:
- hard and lumpy, especially in the finger joints, caused by the growth of extra bone
- soft, caused by thickening of the joint lining and extra fluid in the joint capsule.

The joint may not move as freely or as far as normal, and may make scraping or popping noises when you move it. This is called crepitus.

Sometimes the muscles around the joint may look thin. The joint can sometimes collapse because your muscles have weakened or because the joint structure has become less stable. Exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the joint can help prevent this from happening.

Don't wait too long to see your doctor if you have joint pain or stiffness. If you get a diagnosis early, you have the chance to discuss treatment, and that gives you the best chance of effectively managing your condition with fewer harmful consequences.