About osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis?
When you have osteoarthritis of the knee:
- The joint fluid may lose its ability to protect the joint.
- Smooth cartilage that normally protects the ends of the knee bones may lose its cushioning effect or become pitted and frayed. Large areas of cartilage may even wear away completely, so the bones scrape painfully over each other.
- Cartilage breakdown may cause the joint to lose its shape, and the bone ends may thicken and form bony spurs.
- Fragments of bone or cartilage may float in the joint space, causing further damage and pain.
Normal Knee
1. Normal cartilage provides a smooth surface so bones can move easily across each other
2. High concentration of hyaluronan in synovial fluid cushions and lubricates the joint
3. Normal bone
OA Knee
4. Eroded cartilage if completely worn away, bones may scrape painfully against each other
5. Low concentration of hyaluronan in synovial fluid less able to protect the joint
6. Osteophytes (bone spurs)
You may suffer from OA if you have any of these symptoms:
- Stiffness in the morning
- Pain when you move
- Pain even when you are not active
- A crackling sound or a grating feeling when walking
- Red and swollen skin around your knee
There are many contributory factors to osteoarthritis. These include:
- Aging
- Obesity
- Damage to joints through injury
- Lifestyle issues
- Hereditary factors
There are many different types of arthritis, so osteoarthritis should always be diagnosed by a doctor.
