What is Osteoarthritis?

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage in the joints and the bones underlying the cartilage are damaged. Sometimes this damage is caused by wear and tear. The normal processes of joint degeneration and repair begin to work less perfectly as a person enters middle age. As a result, the cartilage that covers the bones and forms the joint surfaces becomes thinner and less protective, starting the process that leads to osteoarthritis. As the condition worsens, the bone surfaces become exposed and turn rough and irregular. When this happens, the joint surfaces no longer glide smoothly but grind against each other.

To learn more about osteoarthritis, go to Learn More: Osteoarthritis.