Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a chronic,
degenerative, joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and
older adults. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the breakdown
of joint cartilage. Although it can occur in any joint, usually
it affects the hands, knees, hips, or spine. The disease is also
known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease.
Click Image to Enlarge Osteoarthritis can be classified as
primary or secondary. Primary osteoarthritis has an unknown
cause, while secondary osteoarthritis is caused by another
disease, infection, injury, or deformity. Osteoarthritis is
characterized by the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. As the
cartilage wears down, the bone ends may thicken, forming bony
growths or spurs that interfere with joint movement. In
addition, bits of bone and cartilage may float in the joint
space and fluid-filled cysts may form in the bone, limiting
joint movement. Several risk factors are associated with
osteoarthritis, including the following: S