Osteoarthritis Research Paper

Previously, osteoarthritis was labelled as a progressive and degenerative wear and tear process of articular hyaline cartilage in the synovial joint, as an inevitable consequence of aging1,2. It was characterised by joint pain, stiffness and limited range of movement1. However, current research describes osteoarthritis as a dynamic process involving tissue damage and repair that affects all structures in a joint3,4, including remodelling of subchondral bone, subchondral sclerosis, joint instability, radiographic joint space narrowing and joint deformities such as osteophyte formation at the joint margins5-8. Osteoarthritis has been seen in the spine, hips, knees, feet, elbows and hands; and the clinical manifestations differ due to particular …show more content…
Osteophytes form due to periosteal cells that proliferate at the joint margins; these cells undergo hypertrophy due to TGF-β and endochondral ossification to create fibrocartilaginous and skeletal outgrowths20,8. As the cartilage erodes the osteophytes grow outwards and alter the bone contours and anatomy resulting in malalignment, joint deformities, limitation in movement and pain19. The joint deformities can also cause stiffness and muscle wasting as an individual will avoid using that joint due to the pain it causes them when they do move it, their pain is greatly influence by psychological factors such as depression and anxiety and can lead to functional impairment of daily …show more content…
Pain in osteoarthritis is normally due to the one or few joints that are in use rather than widespread pain1. When the joint is in movement the inflammatory mediators and the damaged bone stimulate pain receptors and the pain stops once the joint is at rest2. Stiffness and pain follow a diurnal rhythm in which they are typically worst at the end of the day due to fatigue and movement, and best in the morning, although there is a brief period of stiffness2. Pain can also occur from the nerves themselves. If there is a ligament rupture following an injury, the nerves will reinnervate themselves, however these new nerves look punctate and disorganised22, and contain an overabundance of algesic chemicals e.g. calcitonin gene-related peptide which may result in the individual developing neuropathic pain post trauma5. Irritation of the sensory nerves within the synovium can cause synovial pain due to the release of prostaglandins, leukotrienes, cytokines, proteinases and

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