03/08/2026
“I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis at 25.”
When physiotherapist Dr Daniel O’Brien received this diagnosis, he wondered what it meant for his future.
He was training for the Auckland Marathon and expected to find a stress fracture.
Instead, his X-ray showed moderate osteoarthritic changes.
The surprising part?
The changes were in his right foot — but his pain was in his left.
More than 20 years later, that same foot is still doing its job.
This experience changed how Dr O’Brien understood osteoarthritis.
Our latest Guest Expert Series article:
Young Joints, Long Lives: Rethinking Osteoarthritis
explores:
✅ Why OA is not just about ageing
✅ Why X-rays don’t tell the whole story
✅ Why an OA diagnosis does not mean the end of sport
✅ Why movement and strength matter
Read the full article:
https://www.urbanathlete.co.nz/blog/young-joints-long-lives-rethinking-osteoarthritis