Definitions for "Degenerative joint disease"
A common form of arthritis in which tissue changes occur in one or more joints, such as swelling, lumps or cysts, or small pieces of loose bone and cartilage, which cause stiffness and pain. Also called osteoarthritis.
is a wearing-out of the cartilage of joint surfaces, which results in greatly increased stress on the underlying bones and causes pain, swelling, and gradual loss of joint function. This occurs with age, but a history of injuries to joints, mainly in large, weight bearing joints, or in other joints where there have been years of repetitive movement will produce the disease in younger people as well. The cartilage between the bones allows them to move (or slide) on each other, providing stable movement. If the smooth cartilage between the bones becomes roughened it causes friction between the bones, leading to joint pain.
chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints; the most common form of arthritis occurring usually after middle age