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 .
