I notice my mother-in-law can't get in and out of a chair or couch anymore without a great deal of scooting, grunting, and effort. She does have osteoarthritis in her hips and knees. Are her struggles caused by the arthritis?
Older adults do get "out of shape" as the pain of arthritis slows them down. Deconditioning and loss of balance leave a person feeling uncertain of his or her ability to do a task or activity.
Walking, going up and down stairs, and getting up from a seated position without using the hands are three measures used to assess function. These tasks can be affected by knee pain, loss of muscle strength, decreased endurance, or a loss of motion.
The arthritis can contribute to one or all of these losses. An exam is needed to find out for sure the cause of your mother-in-law's problems. A medical exam can help rule out other important causes of this downward decline.
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