Degenerative arthritis: Common symptoms and causes

Degenerative arthritis, also called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a condition that can develop in the cartilage of the joints over time. It’s the most common form of arthritis and is often a by-product of age.

Over time, the cartilage in the joints can wear down, making using those joints difficult and painful. While osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, the symptoms of it can be managed through treatments such as aquatic therapy. 

Symptoms of degenerative arthritis

Degenerative arthritis mainly affects the joints in the hips, hands, knees and spine, but symptoms can differ from person to person. Here’s a list of some of the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis and how they may affect you”

• Pain — Pain is one of the most common symptoms of degenerative arthritis. You may experience pain that comes and goes or pain that worsens during or after movement. It can be localized to the affected joints or affect a larger area. If your pain is constant or gets worse while you’re sleeping, it might mean that your arthritis is progressing.

• Stiffness — Stiffness is most common after a period of inactivity, such as sleeping or sitting for a long period of time. This symptom usually lasts around 30 minutes once activity begins again.

• Tenderness — This symptom tends to directly affect the joints themselves. You may experience tenderness and pain if light pressure is applied on or near the affected joint.

• Reduced range of motion — As degenerative arthritis increases, you may have more trouble moving your joints easily. Your range of motion may be limited, and your joints can become less flexible.

• Grating and cracking — This symptom can cause a grating sensation in the cartilage when you extend or use the affected joint. You may also hear a popping or cracking noise while moving.

• Deformation — As your condition progresses, you may find that your joints look misshapen or deformed in some way. This can be due to swelling, deformation of the cartilage, or bone spurs, which are hard lumps that may form around the arthritic joint.

• Swelling — Arthritis can cause inflammation around the joint, which may result in swelling of the surrounding tissue. The affected joints may feel sore and tender to the touch. This symptom can worsen with a lot of physical activity or use,

• Muscle weakness — The muscles around the affected joints can become weaker, especially in the knees. This may also cause a sensation of the joint feeling loose or unstable.

These symptoms are all common with degenerative arthritis. However, some symptoms are more common in specific joints or areas of the body than others. Below are a list of some common areas where you may experience arthritis and how those symptoms can differ:

• Hips — You may experience pain and stiffness in the hip joint, groin area, buttocks and inner thigh. This pain can eventually spread to the knee. As this condition progresses, you may find your range of motion more limited in the hip area.

• Knees — During activity, you may experience a grating or scraping feeling or noise in the knee joint. As the condition progresses, the muscles and ligaments can weaken, causing the knee to become unstable and putting you at a higher risk of falling.

• Fingers and hands — Your fingers can become swollen, tender and red due to bone spurs forming around the arthritic joint. You may also experience pain at the base of the thumb and wrist.

• Feet — You may experience pain and tenderness in the toes, especially the big toe. This condition can also cause pain and swelling in the toes and ankles.

• Spine — Stiffness and pain in the neck and lower back are common. Long-term degenerative arthritis may also cause other conditions such as spinal stenosis to develop, which can lead to other symptoms.

Symptoms can differ greatly from person to person. If you’re experiencing sudden or severe symptoms of degenerative arthritis, talk to your doctor about finding the right treatment for you.

Causes of degenerative arthritis

There are many different causes of degenerative arthritis. Most often, it’s caused by an accumulation of natural wear and tear, but there are other factors that may increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis, for example.

• Aging increases your body’s overall wear and tear.

• An injury such as a fracture or ligament tear can lead to faster degeneration of cartilage.

• Overusing the same joints through physical labor or a sport may increase wear and tear.

• Obesity can add excess strain and pressure to the joints.

• Abnormalities in the bones and joints can increase your chances of developing degenerative arthritis.

• Genetics can play a large role in the development of this condition.

• Women have a higher likelihood of developing degenerative arthritis than men.

Depending on the cause of your osteoarthritis, you may experience symptoms in certain joints or areas of your body. Proper treatment for this condition can keep you active and help prevent your symptoms from worsening.

At KC Rehab, we’re dedicated to helping you maintain your mobility as you age. If you want to keep your body moving despite degenerative arthritis, contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.