osteoarthritis

(noun)

A form of arthritis affecting mainly older people, caused by chronic degeneration of the cartilage and synovial membrane of the joints leading to pain and stiffness.

Related Terms

Examples of osteoarthritis in the following topics:

  • Joints and Aging

    • Aging is a common cause of chronic joint pain, as wear and tear from years of use results in inflammation and osteoarthritis.
    • Analysis of skeletal material from archaeological sites has shown that an individual's primary activities can be deduced from development of osteoarthritis.
    • Joint pain occurs in all age groups, but becomes more common with age as wear and tear on the joints from years of use results in inflammation and osteoarthritis.
    • In cases of severe osteoarthritis, surgical joint replacement is often recommended.
    • X-ray image of osteoarthritis of the big toe.

  • Bone and Joint Disorders

    • The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is associated with aging and “wear and tear” of the articular cartilage.
    • Risk factors that may lead to osteoarthritis later in life include injury to a joint; jobs that involve physical labor; sports with running, twisting, or throwing actions; and being overweight.
    • There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but several treatments (surgery, lifestyle changes, medications) can help alleviate the pain.
    • Describe the causes and treatments for gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis

  • Rheumatism and Arthritis

    • The most common form, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age.
    • Severe osteoarthritis and osteopenia of the carpal joint and first carpometacarpal joint.

  • Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome

    • Secondary causes of PF Syndrome are fractures, internal knee derangement, osteoarthritis of the knee, and bony tumors in or around the knee.

  • Muscular Atrophy

  • Arthroplasty

    • For example, a hip joint that is affected by osteoarthritis may be replaced entirely (total hip arthroplasty) with a prosthetic hip.

  • Running Injuries

    • Recent studies have shown that runners do not have more osteoarthritis than people who do not run.

  • Modes of Persuasion: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

    • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) website states that, "Results from a number of studies suggest that acupuncture may help ease types of pain that are often chronic such as low-back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain.