trauma/exercise/surgery & osteoarthritis

Introduction

Trauma, acute or chronic, plays a role in both primary & secondary osteoarthritis, including:

• repetitive motions causing pain
• obesity
• running does not cause osteoarthritis in previously normal joints, but does increase subchondral bone & marginal osteophytes
• running on a hip or knee with previous osteoarthritis will accelerate the pathology
• meniscectomy of the knee is associated with a 50% incidence of osteoarthritis after 15 years