Osteoarthritis meaning

Osteoarthritis of the knee happens when cartilage in your knee joint breaks down. When this happens, the bones in your knee joint rub together, causing friction that makes your knees hurt, become stiff or swell. Osteoarthritis in the knee can’t be cured but there are treatments that can relieve symptoms and slow your condition’s progress. Overview A diagram of an osteoarthritic knee What is osteoarthritis of the knee? Osteoarthritis of the knee happens when the cartilage in your knee joint breaks down, enabling the bones to rub together. The friction makes your knees hurt, become stiff and sometimes swell. While osteoarthritis in the knee can’t be cured, there are many treatments to slow its progress and ease your symptoms. Surgery is an option for more severe forms of osteoarthritis. How common is osteoarthritis of the knee? Osteoarthritis of the knee is very common. Approximately 46% of people will develop it during their lifetimes. Who is affected by osteoarthritis of the knee? Women are more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis of the knee. Most people develop this condition after age 40. But other factors such as injury or genetics can cause it to happen earlier. How does osteoarthritis in the knee affect my body? Knee pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis in the knee, making it painful for you to jog, run, climb stairs or kneel. It can also make your knees feel stiff or swollen. Over time, osteoarthritis of the knee can change the shape of your knee ...

Osteoarthritis (OA), which is also known as osteoarthrosis or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressive disorder of the joints caused by gradual loss of cartilage and resulting in the development of bony spurs and cysts at the margins of the joints. The name osteoarthritis comes from three Greek words meaning bone, joint, and inflammation. Description OA is one of the most common causes of disability due to limitations of joint movement, particularly in people over 50. It is estimated that 2% of the United States population under the age of 45 suffers from osteoarthritis; this figure rises to 30% of persons between 45 and 64, and 63-85% in those over 65. About 90% of the American population will have some features of OA in their weight-bearing joints by age 40. Men tend to develop OA at earlier ages than women. Osteoarthritis results from deterioration or loss of the cartilage that acts as a protective cushion between bones, particularly in weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. As the cartilage is worn away, the bone forms spurs, areas of abnormal hardening, and fluid-filled pockets in the marrow known as subchondral cysts. As the disorder progresses, pain results from deformation of the bones and fluid accumulation in the joints. The pain is relieved by rest and made worse by moving the joint or placing weight on it. In early OA, the pain is minor and may take the form of mild stiffness in the morning. In the later stages of OA, inflammation develops;...

Overview What is osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD), is the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is more likely to develop as people age. The changes in osteoarthritis usually occur slowly over many years, though there are occasional exceptions. Inflammation and injury to the joint cause bony changes, deterioration of tendons and ligaments and a breakdown of cartilage, resulting in pain, swelling, and deformity of the joint. There are two main types of osteoarthritis: • Primary: Most common, generalized, primarily affects the fingers, thumbs, spine, hips, knees, and the great (big) toes. • Secondary: Occurs with a pre-existing joint abnormality, including injury or trauma, such as repetitive or sports-related; inflammatory arthritis, such as What is cartilage? Cartilage is a firm, rubbery, flexible connective tissue covering the ends of bones in normal joints. It is primarily made up of water and proteins whose primary function is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a "shock absorber." The shock-absorbing quality of normal cartilage comes from its ability to change shape when compressed, because of its high water content. Although cartilage may undergo some repair when damaged, the body does not grow new cartilage after injury. Cartilage is avascular, meaning there are no blood vessels in it. Therefore, healing is a slow process. Cartilage is made up of two main elements: cells within it known as chondrocytes a...

Osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, involves the wearing away of the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints. Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints. Uric acid crystals, which form when there's too much uric acid in your blood, can cause gout. Infections or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis. Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Causes The two main types of arthritis — osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis — damage joints in different ways. Osteoarthritis The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to a joint's cartilage — the hard, slick coating on the ends of bones where they form a joint. Cartilage cushions the ends of the bones and allows nearly frictionless joint mot...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic joint condition. OA is also called wear-and-tear arthritis, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative joint disease. A joint is where two bones come together. Cartilage is the protective tissue that covers the ends of the bones. With OA, this cartilage breaks down, causing the bones within the joint to rub together. This can cause pain, stiffness, and other symptoms. OA can occur in any joint. However, the most commonly affected areas of the body include the: • • • • • hips • OA occurs most often in older people, although it can occur in adults of any age. OA is a leading cause of disability. The OA is caused by joint damage. This damage can have a cumulative effect over time, which is why age is one of the main causes of the joint damage leading to OA. The older you are, the more repetitive stress you’ve had on your joints. Other causes of joint damage include: • past injury, such as torn cartilage, dislocated joints, or ligament injuries • joint malformation • • poor posture Certain • having family with the condition, particularly parents or siblings • gender, with women having higher rates of OA than men • being at least 50 years old, according to the • having undergone • having an occupation that involves kneeling, climbing, heavy lifting, or similar actions • a history of injury • being overweight or having obesity • poor posture • having another medical condition that affects your joint health, such as Having OA in one pa...

Stage 1 (Early or Doubtful) Stage one of OA is considered early or doubtful. You may begin to lose some of the cartilage between your joints. However, the space between your joints wouldn't be getting smaller at this point. You may start to develop bone spurs, which are growths on the ends of the bones. Treatment Most people do not seek treatment during stage one because they do not experience any symptoms. Treatment during stage one is not invasive and focuses on lifestyle changes, supplements, and over-the-counter medications. Lifestyle changes may include exercise, weight loss, yoga, and tai chi. • Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131 • Ryd L, Brittberg M, Eriksson K, et al. Cartilage. 2015;6(3):156-165. doi:10.1177/1947603515586048 • Lespasio MJ, Piuzzi NS, Husni ME, Muschler GF, Guarino A, Mont MA. Perm J. 2017;21:16-183. doi:10.7812/TPP/16-183