Many years of research has goner in to the study of what the causes of osteoarthritis are but still a clear answer is not available. It is believed that the initial damage to the cartilage is what actually triggers osteoarthritis but at times joints which have not suffered from any disease or injury can also be affected.
Some of the causes of osteoarthritis are joint wear and tear, injury to the joint or overuse of the joint, inactivity, excess body weight, muscle weakness and heredity factors where genes can play an important part in causing osteoarthritis. As people age there is a breakdown in their joints which is one of the major causes of osteoarthritis other than excess body weight. The body finds it difficult to bear the burden of excess weight which causes strains in the joints. People who are prone to fractures and infections can also have osteoarthritis later in life.
The role of genes is one of the major causes of osteoarthritis in many people who could have inherited the particular genes from any one of their parents. Research studies have proven that genes are one of the major contributors to osteoarthritis where doctors have found that an abnormal gene can produce collagen which is a protein component of cartilage. The defect which is caused by the gene leads to the early breakdown of cartilage. More studies and research are being conducted to look for other genes which may also contribute to the causes of osteoarthritis in people who have heredity defects. In families where the older generations were known to have suffered from osteoarthritis, it was evident that the younger generation was also susceptible to the same disease because of the heredity factor in their genes. Gene therapy is being considered as a important way to determine treatment of osteoarthritis in people who have developed the disease due to genetic factors.
