Patient/caregiver was educated on the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis as follows:
- Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis involving the major weightbearing joints, such as, knee, hip, spine, and shoulder.
- Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis in senior citizens and is the result of progressive wear and tear of the joint over the years. Osteoarthritis also has serious bearing with the nature of job due to the wear and tear on the joint, while performing the job.
- Articular cartilage is the smooth, white tissue that covers the ends of bones, where they come together to form joints. Healthy articular cartilage in the joints allow the bones to glide over each other with hardly any friction, thus making the movement easier and pain free. Osteoarthritis involves progressive damage to and loss of the articular cartilage in the joint involved.
- Loss of articular cartilage results in the exposure of bone ends, which rub against each other during movement in the joint. This rubbing of the bone ends lead to bone remodeling, pain, and inflammation in the joint involved.
- White blood cells, which are protective and fight against any infecting organisms, increasingly migrate to the affected joint as part of inflammatory response. Chemicals released from these white blood cells cause signs and symptoms of arthritis and lead to further damage to the bone and the joint.
