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disease because it is characterized by joint degeneration and loss of cartilage. Cartilage is the shock absorbing material between joints. The weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips, and spine, as well as the hands, are the joints most often affected by osteoarthritis. These joints are under much greater stress because of additional weight and continuous use (lifting, sports, support, movement). The concern that too much physical activity may lead to osteoarthritis is on the rise (2). Too much physical activity can lead to osteoarthritis since "the continuous stress that physical activity places on the joints can result in microtrauma and degeneration of the articular cartilage" (2).
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of the cartilage of the joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a "cushion" between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis. Among the ...

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designed to reduce the friction of bones rubbing together by holding in fluids used for lubrication. It is a spongy material that releases fluids under pressure and soaks up fluids when the pressure is released. For example, when you take a step, liquid is squeezed out of the cartilage in your knee as you bring your foot down (like pressing on a wet sponge), and then is soaked up when you pick up your foot to take another step. Osteoarthritis begins with a loss of water in the cartilage, causing it to weaken and crack. The cartilage degrades, forming grooves that eventually expose the bone. With this lack of cartilage, bones rub together, causing a lot of pain and swelling.
Typical ...

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