Over 6 million people in the UK suffer from osteoarthritis in one or both of their knees, more than 650,000 British people experience painful osteoarthritis in one or both of their hips and approximately 8.5 million people in Britain alone endure back pain because of osteoarthritis. With so many people affected by osteoarthritis it is understandable why so many people now look for information on this concerning and growing form of arthritis.

What is osteoarthritis?

Despite being a prevalent form of arthritis, which affects nearly 1 in 5 people between the age of 50 and 60, not many people completely understand what osteoarthritis is and which parts of the body are affected. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of joint disease which affects the joint on various parts of the body. There is a particular joint which is positioned in-between two or more different bones. This joint plays a very important role as it allows the bones to move easily with no discomfort. Osteoarthritis is a painful disease that damages this joint and therefore doesn't allow it to move as freely. The most common ways osteoarthritis affects different joints are as follows:

• The first is the cartilage, the elastic bonding tissue found in joints, becomes thin and coarse. This causes friction within the joint.
• The synovium membrane, this is a flexible tissue which lines the joint and can create additional fluid; this is often why joints which suffer osteoarthritis can begin to swell.
• The capsule and ligaments which surround the joint can begin to thicken and stretch, this causes the joint to become unstable.
• Osteophytes can also occur in joints which suffer osteoarthritis. This is when the bone at the edge of the joint begins to grow outwards creating projecting spurs which damage the joints surface area making it painful to move.

A person may have some or all of these factors occur on certain joints, often one factor leads to other problems occurring and possibly the onset of osteoarthritis.

What are the causes of osteoarthritis?

There are a number of different factors which can increase the chances and threat of osteoarthritis. Some of the most common factors which influence the development of osteoarthritis are:

• Age - osteoarthritis often occurs with age because the muscles and bones in the body become weaker and damaged over time.
• Gender - research has shown that osteoarthritis does affect women more than men, especially in knee and hand joints.
• Weight - increased weight on the joints increases the chances of osteoarthritis developing, as the weight places extra pressure on joints.
• Genetics - studies have shown that certain forms of osteoarthritis can be genetically passed down, in particular nodal osteoarthritis which affects hand joints in middle aged women.
• Previous joint diseases - people who have suffered other joint diseases such as gout or rheumatoid are more likely to develop osteoarthritis at a later date.

Understanding what osteoarthritis is and which joints are more likely to be infected is very important, however, it is also vital to understand the symptoms of osteoarthritis to help prevent further pain and what treatments are available which maybe helpful to you. Within this site we will help you recognise what the most common symptoms are as well as point out a few symptoms that people often overlook. This site will also explain the different types of treatments available to people who suffer with osteoarthritis.