Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting more Canadians than all other forms of arthritis combined.
It’s a progressive disease that develops in the joints and leads to the breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. It develops as a result of the body’s failed attempt to repair damaged joint tissues. The joints that are most commonly affected include the knees, hips, big toes, hands, and spine.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting nearly
million
Canadians.
That’s equivalent to 1 in 6!
Usually the first symptom of osteoarthritis is pain that worsens following exercise or immobility. Others include:
Symptoms usually come and go, but the intensity of the pain increases over time as the disease progresses.
Treatment can vary depending on the cause of your knee pain. Use our clinic locator to find a specialist near you who can diagnose the cause of your knee pain.
Arthritis is a general term for conditions that affect the joints and the tissues that surround them. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types.
Osteoarthritis refers to damage that is caused by overuse of joints, an injury, or excessive body weight. Your risk of developing osteoarthritis increases as you age. This is not the case for rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, in which the body attacks its own healthy tissue. In addition to joint symptoms, people with rheumatoid arthritis may also experience systemic symptoms.
For most people, joint damage can occur when otherwise healthy joints are exposed to heavy workloads over a long period of time. This leads to joint injuries due to repeated overuse. Frequently performing a particular task or sport or carrying around excess body weight can lead to osteoarthritis. Eventually the joint cartilage, the cushion at the ends of the bones, wears away. As a result, the bones rub together, causing a grating sensation.
A healthy knee contains synovial fluid, a viscous liquid that is responsible for lubricating the joint and absorbing shocks. Hyaluronic acid is a major component of normal synovial fluid and contributes to the fluid’s viscoelastic properties. Pain from osteoarthritis of the knee is caused by changes in synovial fluid and joint structures.
Although there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, symptoms can be managed through a variety of strategies. These include: