Osteoarthritis is a wear-and-tear disorder marked by bone thickening and cartilage degeneration, an excruciatingly painful disability and a major cause of impaired mobility as people age. But scientists have begun viewing this form of arthritis differently with a deeper understanding of the disorder’s causes and an eye toward personalized medicine as a treatment option.
Although for decades medical experts have focused on problems such as the pain caused by bone thickening and the disappearance of cartilage, scientists conducting research in Homburg, Germany at the Institute of Experimental Orthopedics and Osteoarthritis Research, say bone malalignment may play a critical role in osteoarthritis. In a novel clinical study, medical scientists demonstrate how the alignment problem can contribute to osteoarthritis—and they also suggest that correcting it can protect cartilage and reverse its degeneration.
