TITLE:
Osteoarthritis and Articular Cartilage: Biomechanics and Novel Treatment Paradigms
AUTHORS:
Ray Marks
KEYWORDS:
Articular Cartilage, Biomechanics, Osteoarthritis, Prevention, Treatment
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Aging Research,
Vol.3 No.4,
August
29,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background:
Osteoarthritis is a widespread highly painful disabling age-related disease
with no known cure. Although novel strategies for ameliorating osteoarthritic
damage abound, it is likely that none will be successful over time if the
entire spectrum of the disease and the effects of joint biomechanics on joint
tissues are not carefully considered. Objectives: 1) To detail the structure of
healthy articular cartilage, the key tissue affected by osteoarthritis. 2) To
detail what aspects of cartilage damage best characterize osteoarthritis. 3) To
consider the role of biomechanical factors in developing solutions to treat
osteoarthritic joint damage. Methods: Literature sources from 1980 onwards that
have contributed to our knowledge of the topics relevant to this paper were
accessed and retrieved. The data were categorized into four predominant themes
and conclusions about the state of our knowledge and future directives were
formulated. Conclusions: Osteoarthritis prevalence remains high, and a cure
appears elusive. A rich body of data has helped us to better understand the key
tissue involved, and suggests a repair process might be feasible, if the basic
collective information on the role of biomechanics in mediating or moderating
articular cartilage integrity and function is forthcoming.