Osteoarthritis facts for kids

X-ray of knee with osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis normally affects older people: it is a disease where joints wear out. As the joint surface wears away, it sheds particles which stimulate the joint lining to produce fluid. This causes the joint to swell. When the joint cartilage wears away, the core of the bone becomes exposed. The exposed bone rubs against other exposed bone.

Symptoms

Joints will be stiff and painful, and may be swollen. The pain may be worse after exercise. It may get harder to move the joint.

Images for kids

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  Osteoarthritis most often occurs in the hands (at the ends of the fingers and thumbs), neck, lower back, knees, and hips.

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  Some kinds of exercise recommended in OA.

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  Severe osteoarthritis and osteopenia of the carpal joint and 1st carpometacarpal joint.

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  MRI of osteoarthritis in the knee, with characteristic narrowing of the joint space.

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  Histopathology of osteoarthrosis of a knee joint in an elderly female.

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  Histopathology of osteoarthrosis of a knee joint in an elderly female.

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  In a healthy joint, the ends of bones are encased in smooth cartilage. Together, they are protected by a joint capsule lined with a synovial membrane that produces synovial fluid. The capsule and fluid protect the cartilage, muscles, and connective tissues.

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  With osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes worn away. Spurs grow out from the edge of the bone, and synovial fluid increases. Altogether, the joint feels stiff and sore.

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  Bone (left) and clinical (right) changes of the hand in osteoarthritis

See also

In Spanish: Artrosis para niños