Patient/caregiver was educated on the complications of unresolved osteoarthritis as follows:
Damage to the cartilage:
- Osteoarthritis involves damage to the articular cartilage that covers the ends of bones and allows the bones to glide over each other.
- Articular cartilage minimizes the friction between the joints and makes the movement easier and pain free.
- Chronic unresolved osteoarthritis leads to complete lysis of the articular cartilage resulting in loose tissue material.
- Also, total shrinking of the joint space between the bone surfaces can occur, resulting in bone on bone situation, with extreme pain and tenderness.
Bone spurs:
- Damaged bone ends rubbing against each other can result in formation of small, pointed, extra pieces of bone that can be felt as a lump near the joint involved.
Damage to the support structures in & around joint:
- Support structures in and around the joints, such as, ligaments and tendons, contribute significantly to the strength and stability of the joint.
- Chronic unresolved inflammatory activity in the joint can weaken & damage the support structures leading to poor stability of the joint involved.
Increased fall risk:
- Damage to the support structures around the joint from chronic inflammatory activity in the joint can result in poor stability of the joint. This can contribute to increased risk for falls and accidents.
