This is osteoarthritis.

It is a joint disease that is mainly in the joint cartilage. You can get osteoarthritis in any joint in the body where there is cartilage. Most often we talk about osteoarthritis in the knees and hips. Probably because it often causes big problems. In a joint, several bones meet and the surfaces of the bones are joint surfaces. On the surfaces you will find the cartilage. The cartilage in the joints is strong and helps the surface of the bone so it is not worn or damaged. But when you suffer from osteoarthritis, more joint cartilage breaks down than you can build up. The cartilage then becomes smaller and this can also result in the complete absence of cartilage on certain surfaces.

It usually leads to irritation in the joint. Joints and muscles are also affected by osteoarthritis. The joint may eventually become painful, stiff and swollen. It usually knocks on the door when you get older or are overweight. We can’t do much about age as we all age. The exception is Benjamin Button. But he is, after all, a fictional character. Being overweight, on the other hand, is a problem that almost everyone can do something about. Other factors behind osteoarthritis are injuries, heavy physical work, abnormal load on the joint and misalignment of the joint. About a quarter of all people over the age of 45 have osteoarthritis.