The most important first step is to embrace the belief that you can do something about your condition. This can be challenging in itself given that much of the information on OA that you'll encounter - whether online or given to you by health professionals - is likely to reinforce the view that arthritis is incurable.

Take heart from the fact that in many cases this material is either out-of-date or plain inaccurate; to get a more balanced and accurate picture, start by reviewing the latest guidelines and research published by the world's leading health bodies. You'll discover how imprecise and unreliable the OA diagnosis can be, and that some OA cases can and do get better.

As good a place as any to start is the following document from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. NICE is responsible for providing guidance and advice for health professionals in the UK, and is internationally respected:

NICE Guideline cg177

There is no quick and easy fix for your condition; no drug or dietary supplement will magically cure you.

Equally there is no health professional out there - whether orthodox or fringe - who knows your body as you do, and who can dedicate the time and resources required to address the muscle imbalances that are responsible for some - possibly all - of your symptoms.

Only YOU can do this; the sooner you start, the sooner you'll see progress.

Learn how muscle imbalances develop, their effects on joint alignment and motion, and how the abnormal stress they produce can lead to a self-reinforcing cycle of injury and further adaptation/imbalance.

Understand that the pain and restriction at your hip (for example) is just the most obvious sign of a whole body problem.

Consider how the above relates to your own condition and history. Determine which of your muscles are under the most stress, which are dysfunctional, and what is holding you in this destructive pattern.

My experience and belief is that the position of the pelvis is both an indicator and predictor of muscle imbalance; if it spends most of its time twisted and rotated out of correct alignment the effects will ripple outwards through the body, preventing normal movement and causing adaptation and strain both locally at the hips and elsewhere.

What muscles are holding your pelvis in this abnormal position, and why won't they let go?

If you experience pain as part of your condition you'll need to address this first.

You'll likely find that myofascial release techniques will prove very useful in easing or even eliminating the pain. MFR is easy to learn and self-administer but it's effects in the vast majority of cases are temporary; nevertheless it can improve your quality of life and facilitate your attempts to correct your muscle imbalance.

Having gained a better understanding of your condition you can now begin to target your dysfunctional muscles with activation and strengthening exercises.

Take care when choosing and performing the exercises; your body is a master of adaptation and will find ways to cheat, using the wrong muscles to produce a given movement. Keep it simple and hone your body awareness so that you can feel when the right muscles are working.

Over time your corrections will carry over into your daily activities and you will see tangible improvements in your condition. It's then up to you to decide whether to keep pushing forward to completely resolve your muscle imbalance, or settle for the gains you've already made.