Much like other debilitating diseases, this is another a life threating trajedy growing a epidemic levels.
Ten years ago I had a cummulative injury (affecting all leg joints). It still is bothersome. Time, glucosanine sulfate, gentile low impact exercise, yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic (there were compensatory injuries) and a more Spartan diet did helped me enormously.
Meds made the injuries worse. Doctors didn't have a clue or underestimated about what had happened to me.
How did you fare?