Osteoarthritis

OSTEOARTITIS

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive, increasing over time, degenerative process in the cartilage tissue of the articular surfaces of bones, followed by their destruction and joint deformation. The disease has age-related characteristics: its prevalence increases sharply after 40 years and especially after 65 years. Of all the joints in the body, osteoarthritis primarily affects the knee, hip and shoulder.

Knee OA is the most common cause of pain and lameness in people over 60 years of age, affecting their activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life. OA is a consequence of a pathological process with chronic progression, characterized by degeneration of the hyaline cartilaginous membrane of the joints, penetration of cartilage tissue into the cavity of the joint capsule and subsequent destruction of the subchondral bone. Recurrent acute pain, swelling, stiffness in the joint, changes in the range of motion of the joint and narrowing of the joint space begin gradually and lead to a decrease in joint function and then to disability.

At an early stage, pain in osteoarthritis is rarely a reason to see a doctor, which contributes to the development of complications and further progression of the pathological process. The hip joint is characterized by limited limb function, joint contracture, shortening of the femur with varus deformity syndrome on the affected side. In the knee joint, weakness of the quadriceps femoris muscle, Trendelenburg sign, and lameness are observed. In some cases, a picture of reactive synovitis is observed. With prolonged inflammation in the synovial membrane, the subchondral bone is subjected to mechanical stimulation and dies, which leads not only to a decrease in the height of the articular ends