Bookmark and Share

Osteoarthritis


What is osteoarthritis?

Called the "wear and tear" arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Nearly all vertebrates suffer from osteoarthritis, including porpoises and whales, and those long-extinct giants, the dinosaurs. It is a chronic disease in which the cartilage breaks down. Cartilage is a slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, allowing the bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement. When cartilage in a joint deteriorates osteoarthritis occurs.