Osteoarthritis is the most common type of senior arthritis and is a type of degenerative arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as wear and tear arthritis, as use and injury of joints is the leading factor in developing this type of arthritis. In those who have this kind of arthritis, the protective layer around the individuals joint, called cartilage, wears down, resulting in the bones directly rubbing against each other.

Eventually, the rubbing of the bones in the joints can cause the development of spurs, which are referred to as osteophytes. It is also common for small pieces of bone to break off inside of the joint, which further aggravates and damages the joint, resulting in inflammation, swelling and joint pain.

Since use and injury are a leading cause of osteoarthritis, it is most common for it to affect single joints, rather than joints in pairs. This is to say that only one joint in a pair, like only the left knee, will develop this type of arthritis.

Weight bearing joints are the most common joint to be affected by osteoarthritis, such as knees and hips, although any joint can develop this kind of arthritis and hand osteoarthritis is quite common as well. However, the knee is the most common joint to have this kind of arthritis.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis include joint pain and swelling, as well as inflammation and joint stiffness. Often, joint pain will occur when the arthritis patient first wakes up or right before bed, however it typically will not last longer than thirty minutes. The stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and pain often result in the individual having significantly reduced mobility.

High-impact sports, such as soccer or football, increase the risk of osteoarthritis and can also aggravate the symptoms of the disease. It is not uncommon to experience joint pain after exercise or lots of activity.

One of the most prevalent osteoarthritis risk factors is age, however other factors like occupation and activity level also have an impact on whether the individual develops wear and tear arthritis. Those who are overweight are also at a much higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Diagnosing and treating osteoarthritis must be preformed as quickly as possible, to prevent the disease from getting worse. In advanced cases, digital imaging, like MRIs, as well as x-rays, can detect damage to a joint, however in some cases these will not show any signs of the disease. Preforming safe exercises, eating healthy, and taking medication to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain, all go into helping to treat this type of arthritis.