Osteoarthritis causes pain in the joints even during everyday movements like walking and going up the stairs.
Arthritis is wear and tear on the cartilage of your joints. This cushioning tissue is firm, thick, and slippery. It covers and protects the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint.
With arthritis, there are changes in the cartilage that cause it to break down. When it breaks down, the bones rub together and cause damage and pain. Experts don't know why this breakdown in cartilage happens. But aging, joint injury, being overweight, and genetics may be a part of the reason.
When it occurs in athletes, it is a painful problem that affects your ability to move, twist and bend. When everyday movements hurt, movement during athletic performance can be debilitating.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects the knee, spine, hip, hand and foot, but it can happen in other parts of the body as well. Musculoskeletal ultrasound may be used to diagnose this condition.
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