Two common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful, degenerative joint disease that often involves the hips, knees, neck, lower back, or small joints of the hands.
In normal joints, a firm, rubbery material called cartilage covers the end of each bone. Cartilage provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the bones. In OA, the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint. As OA worsens over time, bones may break down and develop growths called spurs. Bits of bone or cartilage may chip off and float around in the joint. In the body, an inflammatory process occurs and cytokines (proteins) and enzymes develop that further damage the cartilage. In the final stages of OA, the cartilage wears away and bone rubs against bone leading to joint damage and more pain.
Hey Ben,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Miss Morgan and I work as a teacher across the Uru Manuka Cluster. It looks like you have put a lot of work into the creation of this post. It seems very complex to be able to understand. I think you have done a good job of explaining it in simple terms. It would be great if you could also add where you got this information from.
What do you think the most interesting part of learning about the structure of the cartilage muscle and bone is?
Look forward to hearing from you,
Miss Morgan