Arthritis Causes & Risk Factors - OmniMedicalSearch.com

Conditions & Diseases: Bones, Muscles & Joints

Arthritis

Causes & Risk Factors

Erosion of cartilage in the joints is a common cause of arthritis. This erosion of cartilage could be due to a variety of factors that include:

1. Age: Ageing can cause brittleness to cartilage with lesser ability to repair itself; therefore as people grow older they are more likely to develop arthritis. However, it is important to note that arthritis can develop at any age.

2. Weight: Obesity can affect the load bearing joints by wearing them out and causing damage. The joints affected include hips, knees and lower back.

3. Previous Injury: A previous injury to the joint such as a fracture may cause irregularities in the normal smooth joint surface causing arthritis. An injury to a muscle or ligament or tendon may also cause arthritis. In a tibial plateau fracture, the broken area of bone enters the cartilage of the knee joint causing damage to the cartilage cells leading to arthritis.

4. Occupational Hazards: Workers involved in assembly line jobs and heavy construction are at high risk of developing arthritis than other types of jobs.

5. Sports: Participation in some sports activities could lead to a joint injury and subsequently lead to arthritis.

6. Illness or Infection: Bacterial and viral infections such as Chlamydia, mumps and human parvovirus can lead to arthritis.

7. Congenital: Congenital deformities such as uneven bone structures or misalignment of bones in joint may cause arthritis (28) & (29).

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com