Articular cartilage | articular cartilage
Thedegenerationofarticularcartilageaspartoftheclinicalsyndromeofosteoarthritisisoneofthemostcommoncausesofpainanddisabilityinmiddle-agedandolderpeople.Thestrongcorrelationbetweenincreasingageandtheprevalenceofosteoarthritis,andrecentevidenceofimportantage-relatedchangesinthefunctionofchondrocytes,suggestthatage-relatedchangesinarticularcartilagecancontributetothedevelopmentandprogressionofosteoarthritis.Althoughthemechanismsresponsibleforosteoarthritisremainpoorlyunderstoodlifelongmoderateus...
The degeneration of articular cartilage as part of the clinical syndrome of osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of pain and disability in middle-aged and older people. The strong correlation between increasing age and the prevalence of osteoarthritis, and recent evidence of important age-related changes in the function of chondrocytes, suggest that age-related changes in articular cartilage can contribute to the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Although the mechanisms responsible for osteoarthritis remain poorly understood lifelong moderate use of normal joints does not increase the risk. Thus, the degeneration of normal articular cartilage is not simply the result of aging and mechanical wear. However, high-impact and torsional loads may increase the risk of degeneration of normal joints, and individuals who have an abnormal joint anatomy, joint instability, disturbances of joint or muscle innervation, or inadequate muscle strength or endurance probably ha...