Description

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disorder of

elderly population characterized by joint pain, stiffness and deformity due to

degeneration of articular cartilage. An imbalance of joint

functioning initiates the disease process which is then worsened through

biochemical changes in the collagen of the joint . At the

end stage of the disease, a failure of the cellular response occurs with a full

thickness loss of articular cartilage, thickening of subchondral bone, appearance

of large osteophytes and tibio- femoral mal-alignment OA accounts for half of all chronic conditions and

affects middle aged and older people all around the world.The prevalence of OA increases

indefinitely with age . Global statistics reveal that nearly against chronic diseases states that India is expected to be the chronic disease

capital, with 60 million people with arthritis, by 2025. A study confined to rural

India reported the prevalence of OA to be 5.78% . OA leads

to reduced daily activities and quality of life (QoL) of individuals due to

troubled mobility and disability caused by joint pain and stiffness . The rapid increase in the prevalence of this already common disease

suggests that OA will have a growing impact on health care system in the near

future .

OA is a persistent debilitating disease of mobile joints which most often

involves the weight-bearing synovial joints. It is the most frequent reason for

joint replacement. Among various forms of arthritis, OA is the most quotidian,

particularly knee OA (KOA) followed by hip OA . Wrist,

foot, spine are the other common sites.

151 million people worldwide suffer from OA . 80% of people experience limitation of movement

and 25% cannot perform major daily activities.

A report on the global burden of the disease published by World Health

Organization (WHO) demonstrated that OA is likely to become the fourth

leading cause of disability in women and the eighth in men.

Epidemiological profile of OA in India is not clear but it is estimated to be the

second most common rheumatologic problem. According to several studies, OA

is found to be the most frequent joint disease with prevalence in the range of

17% to 60.6% in India .