What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a common condition that literally means inflammation of a joint. There are many types of arthritis affecting the hip and knee the most common of which are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative (wear and tear) joint disease which is caused by damage to the cartilage that lines the joint. It progressively worsens with time leading to chronic ache or pain and reduced function. People often complain of difficulty walking or standing for too long, ascending or descending stairs and even putting on shoes and socks can become difficult. In the later stages of arthritis patients complain of pain at rest or at night which can wake them from sleep.