Think of your knee joint as a machine. As you use it, the parts — in this case cartilage — start to wear down. As the cells in your cartilage sustain damage over the years, they produce inflammatory substances in an attempt to stimulate healing and repair. But this self-repair process can go wrong, and excess inflammation leads to joint damage instead. The result: pain, stiffness, and more. In people with osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and thins out, causing the space between the cartilage and bones to collapse and the bones to rub against each other. The ends of the underlying bones can thicken and form growths, known as spurs. You may also be at risk if you have a history of knee injuries, inflammation throughout your body, or a genetic predisposition, says Virginia Byers Kraus, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine, pathology, and orthopaedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center. “Weight loss and physical activity are two of the major interventions” to protect against OA, she says. Consider these stats:
