• Age; OA usually starts from the late 40’s onwards, due a combination of weakening muscles, gradual wearing of the articular cartilage and the body being less able to heal itself with age.
• Gender; OA is more common and severe in Women then Men
• Joint injury; Any major injury or operation to the Knee will predispose the Knee to earlier onset of OA changes than would be usually expected. Normal activity and exercise don’t cause OA, but very hard, repetitive or physically demanding jobs can increase the risk.
• Joint abnormalities; if you were born with joint abnormalities or developed joint problems in childhood, it can lead to early onset and more severe OA than would be expected.
• Genetic factors; There is no clear genetic link to OA, but strong Family history can be seen in some cases of OA Knee.
• Following other types of Joint disease; Sufferers of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout can cause articular cartilage damage which can lead to OA changes.