Understanding why knee joint injuries can lead to osteoarthritis

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Massachusetts Institute of Technology has uncovered why an injury in the knee joint often leads to osteoarthritis.  The results published in Scientific Reports show how articular cartilage degenerates particularly around injury areas where the fluid flow velocity is excessive.  Researchers found that different mechanisms, in particular fluid flow and tissue deformation after a knee injury can cause degradation of cartilage  

Gustavo A. Orozco from the University of Eastern Finland explained, “ Our findings indicate that after an injury in the knee and subsequent tissue loading, osteoarthritis is caused by easy leakage of proteoglycons through the injury surface by high fluid outflow,”

NOTE:  Scientific Reports is an online open access journal, that publishes scientifically valid primary research from all areas of the natural and clinical sciences.