Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. With degenerative joint disease, the protective cartilage that serves as a cushion for your bones for smooth, pain-free movement gets worn down. Therefore, your bones begin to rub against one another, which leads to inflammation, pain, and eventual damage to the bones.
Any joint in the body can be affected by degenerative joint disease, but the most common places are the joints in your hips, hands, and knees. Patients with degrative joint disease report pain, limited range of motion, stiffness, swelling, and weakness in their affected joints. While not all joints will have symptoms of the disease, you are likely to see an increase in the number of joints affected by the condition over time.
Causes of Degenerative Joint Disease
There is no specific cause of degenerative joint disease. However, there are a variety of risk factors that increase your risk of developing the condition. Among these risk factors are:
- Obesity or Being Overweight Extra weight on the knee joints puts more pressure on the knees than they are designed to carry. Cartilage in the knees is more likely to break down faster if you are significantly overweight. There is a link between being overweight and the development of early degenerative arthritis, and studies show excess fat increases inflammation in the body. The best way to reduce your risk of degenerative joint disease is to maintain a healthy weight. This will ensure your weight-bearing joints take on only the necessary amount of weight.
- Other Conditions A variety of other health conditions can increase your risk of developing degenerative joint disease. They include arthritis, osteoporosis, hormone disorders, bone health disorders, and sickle cell disease.
- Genetics and Family History Degenerative joint disease can be passed on through genetics. If you have close blood relatives with the disease, you are at a higher risk of developing it at some point in life.
- Repetitive Movements A major risk factor that can cause or accelerate degenerative joint disease is repetitive movements. Examples include if you are an athlete who performs similar athletic movements several hours a week or if your occupation requires you to perform the same motions every day to perform your job. When you overuse a joint, it can cause microscopic damage due to extra wear and tear. This can cause the development of degenerative joint disease.
- Orthopedic Physicians in Farmington Hills, Michigan
The skilled and compassionate team of physicians at Tri-County Orthopedics treat all types of orthopedic conditions, including degenerative joint disease. Our goal is to effectively relieve your pain and restore your mobility as quickly as possible.
At Tri-County Orthopedics, we diagnose and treat a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions, including degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. We specialize in general orthopedics, sports medicine, traumatology, arthroscopy, and joint reconstruction, and we will use our advanced training and experience to make sure you get the best care.
To schedule a consultation, call Tri-County Orthopedics at (248) 474-5575 or request an appointment now. We look forward to serving you in our Farmington Hills clinic!
