Clinical signs of osteoarthritis

Typical signs of osteoarthritis are more or less severe pain in the affected joints, which preferably occurs at rest, at night but also after exertion. It is also characterized by impaired functionality, which increasingly restricts the mobility of the joint and its ability to bear weight, for example when getting up from a chair, climbing stairs or doing sport. The joint may also become swollen in the soft tissue area. If the wear has been present for some time, bony protrusions may also be palpable. an effusion may form inside the joint. It is not uncommon for the muscles surrounding the joint to lose strength and become painfully tense. In advanced stages of development, the cartilage loss leads to a reduction in the joint space, so that the ligaments are too long for the now smaller joint and can no longer perform their holding function sufficiently. The joint becomes unstable and the associated bones deviate from their load limits, leading to deformities.