Degenerative disease:
Our joints enable us to move. Unfortunately, over the years they are subject to great overloads, resulting in disintegration of their structure and so impeding movement. A degenerative disease is caused by premature erosion of the cartilage and bone structures of the joint, leading to:
- changes to the structure of the joint
- impaired nourishment of the joint
- impaired joint loading
- impaired functioning
- pain complaints
The causes of the degenerative disease may be:
- primary – the cause is difficult or impossible to identify
- secondary – when it is possible to establish the activating factor
(usually it is an injury, defective development of the joint or an inflammation)
A degenerative joint disease produces a characteristic clinical picture:
- visible on an X-ray image as:
- deformation of the surface of the joint
- narrowing of the articular space
- bony projections – known as ‘osteophytes’
- sclerosis – osseous thickening in the traumatized tissues
- depletion of the subcartilaginous tissue
- dysfunction of the joint:
- pain that prohibits normal movement. Pain is often the first symptom and its intensity increases with the passage of time
- pain may originate not only in joints, but also in the muscles as a reaction to the dysfunction of the joint
- limited mobility of the joint
Degenerative changes become progressively more severe with age, and affect a considerable part of the population. Diseases may attack both peripheral and spinal joints. Our joints can be compared to a tool. The better we look after them, the better and longer they will be able to perform their tasks.
