Introduction

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis (a condition that affects your joints). Healthcare providers sometimes refer to it as degenerative joint disease or OA. It happens when the cartilage that lines your joints is worn down over time and your bones rub against each other when you use your affected joints.

  1. Osteoarthritis can affect any of your joints, but most commonly develops in your hands, knees, hips, neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine).
  2. Osteoarthritis is very common. Experts estimate that more than 80% of adults older than 55 have osteoarthritis, even if some of them never experience symptoms. Around 60% of people with osteoarthritis have symptoms they can notice or feel.
  3. Osteoarthritis symptoms can usually be managed, although the damage to joints can’t be reversed. Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and receiving certain treatments might slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.

Causes

  • Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in the joints gradually wears away.
  • Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that allows nearly frictionless joint motion.
  • Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, bone will rub on bone.
  • Osteoarthritis doesn’t only affect the cartilage. It also affects the entire joint. It causes changes in the bone and weakens the strong bands of tissue that hold the joint together and attach muscle to bone. It also may cause swelling of the joint lining.
  • Anything that directly damages your joints can also cause osteoarthritis, including:
    1. Sports injuries
    2. Falls
    3. Car accidents
    4. Health conditions that affect your joints, like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or joint hypermobility syndrome.
  • Other forms of arthritis (specifically inflammatory arthritis) can cause osteoarthritis, including:
    1. Rheumatoid arthritis
    2. Gout
    3. Psoriatic arthritis