The prevalence of joint complaints and clinical and radiological findings of osteoarthritis in wrist, hand, and knee joints was studied in representative population subsamples of 79 and 85 year olds. Joint complaints, clinical findings of osteoarthritis, and radiographic osteoarthritis were more common in women. Age related differences in the prevalence of osteoarthritis were not found. Although there was a correlation between clinical signs of osteoarthritis and radiographic osteoarthritis, clinical signs were often present without radiographic evidence and moderate and severe radiographic osteoarthritis was often present without clinical signs.