Use-related pain
Pain that builds during activity (walking, stairs, gardening) and eases with rest. Distinct from inflammatory pain that's worst overnight.
Condition guide
Osteoarthritis (Hip & Knee) treatment in Toronto
Hip and knee osteoarthritis: stiff, painful joints that flare with use, ease with rest, and don't always match what shows up on imaging. Treatable with the GLA:D® program — an 8-week evidence-based education and exercise course.
Steps from College Station · 2 Carlton St., Suite 1306
What it is
Osteoarthritis is a joint condition — not 'wear and tear' destiny.
Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage in your joints, most commonly the knee and hip. The structural changes include loss of cartilage with narrowing of the joint space, bony outgrowths (osteophytes), and changes to the joint capsule and surrounding muscles.
But here's the part that surprises most patients: imaging and symptoms only line up about 30–40% of the time in OA. Plenty of people with significant changes on X-ray have no pain, and plenty of people with painful joints have unremarkable imaging. That means your treatment plan should target your symptoms and function — not the picture.
- X-ray is not required to diagnose OA or to start care
- Symptoms and imaging only align ~30–40% of the time
- Conservative care (education + exercise) is the international first-line treatment
What it feels like
The OA presentation pattern.
Morning stiffness
Stiffness on getting up that loosens within ~30 minutes — short-duration stiffness is OA-typical, longer stiffness suggests something else.
Functional limits
Difficulty with stairs, sit-to-stand, getting in and out of cars, prolonged walking. Often the symptom that prompts the appointment.
Risk factors
Who develops hip or knee OA most often.
OA is multi-factorial — most patients have several of these. Many of the risk factors are addressable; some aren't.
- Age 40+
- Female sex (especially for knee OA)
- Prior joint injury (ACL, meniscus, fracture)
- Hard physical work over many years
- Family history of OA
- Excess body weight (knee OA in particular)
How we treat it
GLA:D® Canada — the international standard for hip / knee OA.
Back In Balance is a GLA:D® Canada delivery site. The GLA:D® program (Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark) is an 8-week structured course combining education sessions and supervised neuromuscular exercise — the international first-line conservative treatment for hip and knee OA.
Reported outcomes from the GLA:D® Canada registry: less pain, reduced pain-medication use, fewer days on sick leave, and increased physical activity. For patients heading toward joint replacement, GLA:D® is widely used as pre-habilitation; for many, it delays or replaces surgery entirely.
- 8 weeks · 2 education sessions + ~12 supervised neuromuscular exercise sessions
- No referral or X-ray required to participate
- Evidence-based, registry-tracked outcomes
8 weeks
GLA:D® program
30–40%
Symptom-imaging match
First-line
Conservative care
GLA:D®
Canada registry
Keep exploring
Care that often helps with this
At Back In Balance these treatments are commonly part of the plan for this condition.
GLA:D® Osteoarthritis Program
An 8-week, evidence-based education and exercise program for hip and knee osteoarthritis. Developed in Denmark, delivered at Back In Balance through GLA:D® Canada.
Learn moreChiropractic Care
Hands-on chiropractic care for back, neck, and joint pain — adjustments, mobilizations, soft tissue work, and rehab exercises tailored to your assessment.
Learn moreShockwave Therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for chronic tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and calcific conditions that haven't responded to conservative care alone.
Learn moreKeep exploring
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Read the guideCommon questions
No. OA is a clinical diagnosis — based on history and physical examination. Imaging is sometimes useful when surgery is being considered, but it's not required to start treatment, and the picture often doesn't match the symptoms anyway.
Get a personalized osteoarthritis (hip & knee) plan.
Book a first visit through Jane App or call the clinic — same-day appointments are usually available.