Health and Fitness : What Is Osteoarthritis?

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is also called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis. It affects about 33 million Americans and is the most common chronic joint condition.

Osteoarthritis results from overuse of joints. It can be the consequence of demanding sports, obesity, or aging. If you were an athlete or dancer in high school or college, you may be wondering why your knee or hip aches when you climb out of bed in the morning. Ask your doctor about osteoarthritis. It can strike earlier in life with athletes or those who suffered an injury in young adulthood. Osteoarthritis in the hands is frequently inherited and often happens in middle-aged women.

Osteoarthritis is most common in joints that bear weight -- such as the knees, hips, feet, and spine. It often comes on gradually over months or even years. Except for the pain in the affected joint, you usually do not feel sick, and there is no unusual fatigue or tiredness as there is with some other types of arthritis.

With osteoarthritis, the cartilage gradually breaks down. Cartilage is a slippery material that covers the ends of bones and serves as the body's shock absorber. As more damage occurs, the cartilage starts to wear away, or it doesn't work as well as it once did to cushion the joint. As an example, the extra stress on knees from being overweight can cause damage to knee cartilage. That, in turn, causes the cartilage to wear out faster than normal.

As the cartilage becomes worn, cushioning effect of the joint is lost. The result is pain when the joint is moved. Along with the pain, sometimes you may hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of the bones rubs together. Painful spurs or bumps may appear on the end of the bones, especially on the fingers and feet. While not a major symptom of osteoarthritis, inflammation may occur in the joint lining as a response to the breakdown of cartilage.

What Are the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis?

Symptoms of osteoarthritis, depending on which joint or joints are affected, may include:

1. Deep, aching pain
2. Difficulty dressing or combing hair
3. Difficulty gripping objects
4. Difficulty sitting or bending over
5. Joint being warm to the touch
6. Morning stiffness for less than an hour
7. Pain when walking
8. Stiffness after resting
9. Swelling of joint
10. Loss of motion in a joint

What Are Common Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis?

Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
1. Abnormal alignment of the joints
2. Age
3. Athletics (wear-and-tear and injuries from sports and athletics)
4. Changing forces (putting weight on one knee or hip)
5. Gender
6. Heavy, constant joint use
7. Joint injury by other types of arthritis
8. Knee surgery
9. Overuse or injury
10. Obesity or being overweight

Osteoarthritis is very common and can coexist with other types of arthritis such as rheumatoid or gout.

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Source: WebMD