What causes knee degenerative joint disease?

Condition: Degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis (OA), is a common “wear and tear” disease. The underlying cause of this condition is typically chronic repetitive motion that results in inflammation and structural joint damage.

How does degenerative arthritis occur?

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that enables nearly frictionless joint motion. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, bone will rub on bone.

Can you get osteoarthritis in both knees?

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, you will probably feel your knee is painful and stiff at times. It may only affect one knee, especially if you’ve injured it in the past, or you could have it in both. The pain may feel worse at the end of the day, or when you move your knee, and it may improve when you rest.

What does degenerative changes in the knee mean?

Degenerative joint disease of the knee is also known as osteoarthritis (OA). OA occurs when the cartilage that cushions your knee joint gradually deteriorates.

Is degenerative joint disease the same as arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is sometimes referred to as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. It is the most common type of arthritis because it’s often caused by the wear and tear on a joint over a lifetime. It is most often found in the hands, knees, hips and spine.

Is it common to have arthritis in both knees?

The extent of knee arthritis depends on how much you use your knees, and which knee you use most often. Some people get OA in just one knee, which is known as unilateral OA. Bilateral knee arthritis occurs when both knees are affected with OA.

What is bilateral degenerative joint disease?

Degenerative joint disease, or joint degeneration, is another name for osteoarthritis. It is known as “wear-and-tear” arthritis because it develops as joints wear down, allowing bones to rub against each other. People with degenerative joint disease often have joint stiffness, pain and swollen joints.

How bad is degenerative joint disease?

It is known as “wear-and-tear” arthritis because it develops as joints wear down, allowing bones to rub against each other. People with degenerative joint disease often have joint stiffness, pain and swollen joints. It can become so debilitating that daily tasks become difficult.

What can be done for degenerative joint disease?

Osteoarthritis is usually treated by reducing stress on the joints such as weight control and avoiding painful activity, physical therapy and exercise, application of heat or cold to the painful joint, medications, and use of supportive devices such as canes.

How is bilateral knee osteoarthritis related to degenerative arthritis?

Bilateral knee OA, like other forms of degenerative arthritis, tends to develop over time as your knee joints are subjected to wear and tear. The knees are the largest joints in your body. They contain multiple points of cartilage that help protect the three main bones in each leg: Wear and tear of your knee joints results from:

What are the symptoms of degenerative joint disease in the knees?

Symptoms of Degenerative Joint Disease in Knees. On the flip side, the pain could also arise after long periods of inactivity. If you wake up with soreness and stiffness in a joint that feels better as the day progresses, that may be a sign of DJD. Some individuals may even hear a rubbing or cracking sound when they move.

What causes the cartilage in the knees to break down?

Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), also known as Osteoarthritis, is a condition that occurs when the cartilage in the joint breaks down and the bones rub against each other. Degenerative Joint Disease Causes. The most common cause of DJD is age.

What causes inflammation in the knee and other joints?

This can be from various other factors including injury, obesity, inactivity, and other disease (including other forms of arthritis ). These other factors can increase, decrease or even block blood supply to the knee or other joints and cause inflammation.