Osteoarthritis is a very common condition which involves the deterioration of the hyaline cartilage which lines the articular surfaces of all bones which form synovial joints. It can cause joint pain, stiffness and/or crepitus and may also be associated with the formation of subchondral sclerosis, subchondral cysts and bony protuberances such as osteophytes as seen on a plain X-ray film. The joint space also appears narrowed as a result of the absence of the articular cartilage.
Whilst the cause of osteoarthritis is still somewhat unclear it seems that mechanical stress may play some role in the wear and tear seen in articular cartilage. For example, due to the alignment of the femur and tibia the greatest force is placed through the medial compartment of the knee when standing and as a result medial compartment osteoarthritis is far more common than that on the lateral side. Similarly, a menisectomy in removing part or all of the left and/or right meniscus, which normally provides support for the knee joint, may accelerate the degradation process significantly. With age one would expect greater incidence of osteoarthritis, which is true in most cases, however some individuals may reach a great age without any significant degeneration. This suggests there are more players involved than just mechanical stress over time.
Patients with osteoarthritis have a number of treatment options including the use of NSAIDs or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which act to relieve pain and symptoms of associated inflammation. An appropriate form and level of exercise and, in cases of obesity, losing weight can also ease the symptoms especially in the hips, knees and spine. Joint replacement surgery can also be undertaken, however, these procedures require a great commitment in terms of rehabilitation post surgery so in many instances are done after a number of less invasive interventions have been trialed.