The best aids and assistive devices for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease affecting millions worldwide, making everyday activities like standing, cooking, and dressing difficult. Simple modifications around the home can significantly enhance mobility, independence, and comfort. By making thoughtful adjustments and using aids for osteoarthritis, individuals can reduce strain and improve their overall quality of life.

Here are our top picks to make your living space safer and more comfortable.

Around the house

Creating an OA-friendly home starts with assessing the features that impact movement. From flooring choices to door handles, small changes can make a big difference in mobility and comfort.

Flooring

Individuals with OA have an increased risk of falling. This makes flooring an important factor to consider. Softer flooring options like cork may help to absorb the impact when walking, potentially relieving joint pain. Adding a carpet with a non-slip mat is another way to soften floors and add additional grip. Be mindful of carpet thickness—while a non-slip mat can add grip, an overly thick carpet may become a tripping hazard or make it difficult to use assistive devices like walkers.

Lever handles

Using round door handles can be extremely challenging for those who suffer from hand osteoarthritis. Replacing doorknobs with lever handles can make moving around your home significantly easier, reducing the effort needed to open doors.

Long-handled tongs

Investing in long-handled tongs can make picking up fallen objects easier. Tongs use the bigger muscles in your hands, making picking up items easier for those with hand osteoarthritis. Having longer tongs also means less bending over for those with mobility issues in the knees, hips, or back.

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In the bathroom

People spend an average of 182 hours in the bathroom a year, making it one of the most important rooms in the house. It is also one of the more challenging rooms for many OA sufferers, requiring prolonged standing, hand strength, and mobility.

Lever-handle taps

The increased leverage that lever arms offer not only makes opening doors easier, but it can also reduce the effort needed to turn taps on and off. Lever arms also give you more stability at your core, requiring less bending and stretching, making them a good all-round arthritis tool.

Shower chair

Investing in a shower chair for your shower or bathtub gives you the option of sitting if standing places too much strain on your joints. This can also reduce the risk of falls due to fatigue and instability.

Grab rails

Grab rails are among the most effective and accessible arthritis tools for your home. Installing these in the shower, the bathtub, and even near the toilet can offer additional stability and assistance with mobility.

In the kitchen

For those with OA, the kitchen can be a challenging space. Thankfully, several osteoarthritis assistive devices have been created to help ease some of the strain.

Choose tools with thick handles

Whether it’s a knife, a pot, or a wooden spoon, choosing kitchen tools with thicker, grippy handles can reduce the amount of force needed to hold tools and perform tasks. If you are struggling to find wide-handled kitchen appliances, you can also add foam pipe to just about anything for easier grip.

Electric appliances

For those with hand OA, electric tools can be a game-changer. Electric can openers, food processors, and mandolins are all great tools for arthritis that help reduce the effort needed to conduct basic kitchen tasks. Look for appliances with OA-friendly power buttons that require minimal force to operate.

A sturdy stool

A sturdy stool is a simple and accessible assistive device for knee osteoarthritis as well as back and hip OA. Having a high stool on hand gives you the option of sitting while performing tasks like chopping or stirring.

As with all things OA, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to making your home as OA-friendly as you can. Arthritis aids that work for one person may not work for another, even with the same joint affected. If you need help narrowing down which changes to make and what tools to buy, try consulting an occupational therapist who will be able to guide your decision.

While making your home OA-friendly can significantly improve comfort, effective pain management is also crucial to maintaining mobility and independence. Piascledine is the number one prescribed and selling OA medication in South Africa and the only clinically proven treatment to both improve movement and reduce pain. Its unique dual action offers a wholistic approach, addressing not only the symptoms of OA but also the cause. By blocking the enzymes that cause cartilage breakdown and boosting your body’s ability to repair damaged cartilage, Piascledine can slow the progression of OA, helping you regain your independence.

By making small changes to your home and investing in some aids for osteoarthritis, you can make your home a much safer and more comfortable place to be. A combination of home modifications and effective pain management, like Piascledine, can help you regain comfort and confidence in your home.

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References

Mayo Clinic. Osteoarthritis. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925. Last accessed July 2025.
Science Direct. Examining the effects of home modifications on perceptions of exertion and safety among people with mobility disabilities. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936657424000128. Last accessed July 2025.
Frontiers in Physiology. Gait strategies for individuals with knee osteoarthritis when transitioning between floor and stair walking. Available from: https://consensus.app/papers/gait-strategies-for-individuals-with-knee-osteoarthritis-chai-chen/9b631bc4bf225adfa90c51e8b36c3489/. Last accessed July 2025.
Hospital for Special Surgery. Assistive Devices for Arthritis of the Hands: Protecting Your Joints. Available from: https://www.hss.edu/conditions_assistive-devices-for-the-hand-small-joint-protection.asp. Last accessed July 2025.
WebMD. Assistive Devices: Living Better With Arthritis. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/features/living-easier-arthritis-devices. Last accessed July 2025.
Arthritis Foundation. Self-Help Arthritis Devices. Available from: https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/joint-protection/self-help-arthritis-devices. Last accessed July 2025.