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ABSTRACT Background: The meaning of health has evolved over time. Early definitions of health focused on the theme of the body's ability to function; health was seen as a state of normal function that could be disrupted from time to time by disease.1Actually, "arthritis" is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. It is a degenerative, "wear-and-tear" type of arthritis that occurs most often in people 50 years of age and older2. Arthritis affects the functioning ability of a person and associated with many life style factors. Aim: To explore the functional ability and factors associated with knee osteoarthritis among rural elder women. Materials and methods:The samples were selected by complete Convenient sampling Technique method. The sample consisted 160 elder women from Keludi village, Bagalkotwith 80 in case group (with knee osteoarthritis and 80 in control group. Cases were screened using ACR criteria of knee osteoarthritis. Controls were selected with reference to age of cases. Both the groups were matched with reference to age prior to pretest by using paired t test. Data collection was done using Structured questionnaire to assess baseline profile and HAQ-DI was used to assess functional ability.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between knee osteoarthritis and functional ability. Findings of the study: In case group 43.8% elder women were in age group 50-60 years. 45% faced much difficulty to dress and undress themselves, 38.8% had much difficulty to get in and get out of bed by their ownand 45% were unable to stand up from chair. A significant association was found between among knee osteoarthritis among elder women and their functional ability; walking (P<0.0215), stand up and get in bed (P<0.0261) and grip (P<0.002).