"Arth"
means Joint "itis" means inflammation.
Therefore it means inflammation of the joint. This inflammation is
the reason of swelling & pain in the joint and disability in
walking or using that particular limb.
Let us understand
that if our joint is severely damaged by arthritis or injury, it may
be hard for us to perform simple activities such as walking or
climbing stairs.One may even begin to feel the pain while sitting or
lying down.
How the Normal Joint Works Let
us start with example of the knee which is the largest joint in the
body. Nearly normal knee function is needed to perform routine
everyday activities.
The knee is made up of the lower
end of the thigh bone(femur),which rotates over the upper end of the
shin bone (tibia), and the knee cap(patella), which slides on the
groove on the end of the femur. Large ligaments attached to the
femur and tibia provide stability to the knee. The long thigh
muscles give the knee strength.
The joint surfaces where
these three bones touch are covered with articular cartilage,
a smooth substance that cushions the bones and enables them to move
easily. Two loosely attached soft tissues (Menisci) also
provide cushioning effect. Rate your joint pain on a scale of
1-10 for more information on treatment options available to you.
All remaining surfaces of the knee are covered by a thin,
smooth tissue liner called the synovial membrane. This
membrane releases a special fluid that lubricates the knee which
reduces friction to nearly zero in a healthy knee.
Normally
all these components work in harmony. But disease or injury can
disrupt this harmony, resulting in pain muscle weakness, and less
function.
