When does osteoarthritis occur?

Have you ever heard that old saying “you’re not getting older, you’re just getting better”? Well, unfortunately for many of us, our joints don’t seem to agree with that sentiment. As we age, it’s common for our bodies to start experiencing wear and tear on our bones and cartilage which can lead to a condition called osteoarthritis. But when exactly does this happen and how can we prevent it from taking over our lives? Let’s explore.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of when osteoarthritis occurs, let’s first establish what it actually is (hint: it’s not just joint pain). Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage in between bones, leading to painful bone-on-bone contact.

Cartilage: The Unsung Hero

Cartilage might sound like something you’d find in an anatomy textbook next to pictures of veins and nerves complete with complicated Latin phrases only medical professionals can pronounce (looking at you Malleolus medialis), but believe me–it plays one heckin’ important role in your body!

  • Protects Bones: Cartilage acts as a shock absorber BETWEEN TWO BONES during movement.
  • Reduces Friction: If two bones were directly connected without any cushioning or lubrication they’d rub against each other eventually causing some freaky deformities.
  • Allows Flexibility: Much like those fancy pants yoga leggings every Instagram influencer seems obsessed with these days…cartilage helps keep things moving smoothly allowing for flexibility & smooth movements.

Now imagine if all your yoga pants suddenly disappeared and your skin was rubbing up against rough surfaces every time you moved…OUCH! That basically summarizes what happens when there isn’t enough healthy cartilage left in between our bones (aka osteoarthritis).

The Breakdown

So, what causes cartilage to break down anyway? There are a number of factors but some common ones include:

  • Age: AKA that unyielding force no one dares question. As we age our bodies naturally lose some of the natural cartilage we were blessed with at birth and it gets harder for our body’s healing processes to fix up when things start wearing out.
  • Injury: Past joint injuries can increase your risk for developing osteoarthritis in the future since previous damage may weaken or speed up wear and tear on surrounding cartilage. cue shuddering from anyone who’s ever had a sports injury
  • Genetics: Osteoarthritis is often referred to as the ‘family disease’ given its tendency to be passed down between generations like those glorious hand-me-downs your cousin always seems to get first dibs on.

Now that we know more about the mechanics behind osteoarthritis let’s talk about when this fun party officially starts.

When does Osteoarthritis Occur?

While it’s true that age is just a number (according to my yoga instructor), there comes a time when even us eternal youths have to face reality–our joints aren’t invincible forever. In most cases, osteoarthritis begins slowly over time so much so that by the Time you really take note of them, It may seem all of those creaky knees & elbows came outta nowhere!!!

On average, people typically begin experiencing symptoms related due osteoarthiritis around 50 years old although persons born with Joint Deformities Such as hip dysplasia would experience their symptoms earlier compared will non-birth conditions making early adulthood also under high risk while athletes suffer later in life especially contact sport players it puts higher than average strain on their joints during training and matches hence ending up with Self-diagnosed/ professional diagnosis of osteoarthritis.

As with any symptom or change in your body, it’s important to listen to what your body is telling you and take action sooner rather than later (unless that signal happens to be a desire for pizza at 2 am. That can probably wait).

Signs and Symptoms

Here are some signs/symptoms associated with osteoarthritis:

  • Pain & stiffness during movement: Usually kicking off when getting up from bed or chair after sitting continuously.
  • Swelling: Although Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, swelling through osteoarthritis isn’t so prominent.
  • Joint Cracking/Popping : It may seem like another one of those party tricks but might actually make people wonder If Your joints need some kind of WD40
  • Range Of Motion decreases : Over time the range of motion in a certain joint would decrease as much load-bearing stressing on available cartilage wear down tremendously reducing flexibility.

Conclusion

Armed with this knowledge about what causes osteoarthritis, when it sneaks up on us and how we can recognize its presence. Put together handy chart infographic outlining different risk factors such as Athletics training intensity, age groups etc could come in handy when checking your predisposition for Osteoarthiritis then you too will feel empowered enough to face our aging bones head-on! So let’s continue eating healthy foods which contain – Glucosamine sulfate/chondroitin & Omega 3s while also staying active in moderation so that by the Time our grandkids all start playing Fortnite VII or whatever outdated game they proceed onto By Them “Old People Dun WopadeePupDoo” .We’ll still have strong functioning knees(preferably connected Unless Donated)

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