ABSTRACT
Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a chronic systemic disorder of the bone and joint characterised by the progressive wear of articular cartilage. The joints involved in OA are the hip, knee, ankle, shoulder and small joints in the fingers and toes. OA has a high prevalence and often results in disability. A study reported on the prevalence of OA in the Indian population. The incidence of OA differs as the definition of OA changes according to the specific joints under investigation and the features of the study participants. OA is a disease with varied pathophysiology. Loss of articular cartilage is the hallmark of OA, but researchers are of the opinion that the subchondral bone also has an important role in the occurrence and prevalence of the disease. The most common symptoms of hip OA are joint pain and stiffness. There is no established role of the magnetic resonance imaging scan in the diagnosis of OA.
