What is Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is generally called the inflammation of anatomical elements (e.g. joint capsule, cartilage, bones) that make up a joint.

Therefore, osteoarthritis can be observed in all joints of the body (e.g. shoulder joint, elbow joint, knee joint).

The most common form of osteoarthritis is degenerative osteoarthritis – wear and tear of the joint over time.

The causes are varied and are due to:

• heredity: increased likelihood of osteoarthritis is observed in first-degree relatives, mainly, with corresponding cases
• age: the first signs become apparent at a young age, while the condition worsens with the passage of time
• gender: in this particular form of the disease, women, especially over 55 years of age, seem particularly susceptible and there are suspicions of a possible relationship of the disease with postmenopausal estrogen deficiency
• previous sports injuriespatient’s medical history: collagenosis (rheumatoid arthritis, gout, gonococcal arthritis, etc.), blood diseases (e.g. hemophilia) are predisposing factors
• lifestyle: obesity and repetitive movements have been observed to aggravate the manifestation of the disease

What is Osteoarthritis

The symptoms of this disease are varied and include:

• pain after physical exercise or fatigue and after a long period of immobilization of the joint
• swelling in the area of ​​the joint
• stiffness
• reduced mobility
• unsteadiness in walking.

The recommended treatment, depending on the extent of the problem and the pain felt by the patient, includes:

• conservative treatment
  • drug treatment: anti-inflammatory, non-steroidal
  • physical therapy
  • kinesiotherapy
• surgical treatment
  • hemiarthroplasty,
  • total arthroplasty

What is Osteoarthritis