Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease?

AS Anderson, RF Loeser - Best practice & research Clinical rheumatology, 2010 - Elsevier
Although older age is the greatest risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA), OA is not an inevitable
consequence of growing old. Radiographic changes of OA, particularly osteophytes, are
common in the aged population, but symptoms of joint pain may be independent of
radiographic severity in many older adults. Ageing changes in the musculoskeletal system
increase the propensity to OA but the joints affected and the severity of disease are most
closely related to other OA risk factors such as joint injury, obesity, genetics and anatomical …