Age- and Occupation-Based Public Health Considerations Related to Osteoarthritis of the Knee Joint: A Cadaveric Study.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) literature makes minimal suggestion regarding age of disease onset or preventative strategies to reduce risk for onset in various populations. In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 33.6% of Americans 65+ years old were affected by OA; this cadaveric analysis suggests this is largely underestimated. The objective of this assessment is to identify at-risk populations for OA in the knee joint and make recommendations to prevent or delay disease onset.

DESIGN: Morphometric analyses of the articular cartilage of the tibial plateau were performed on cadaver specimens using Image Pro software on 3 age populations and surface area measurements for articular cartilage degradation were compared with donors' reported ages, clinical histories, and occupations.

RESULTS: Data showed that by the seventh decade of life, when patients are in their 60s, articular cartilage degeneration on the tibial plateau had commenced in 100% of specimen. All "homemakers" displayed above-average medial tibial plateau degeneration (32.33% ± 24.85%) for their age group while simultaneously reporting pathologies in their clinical history that encourage a sedentary lifestyle.

CONCLUSIONS: This assessment identifies an occupational class with a propensity to develop disease and also identifies a more realistic time frame than previous advisory committees have produced regarding age of disease onset and initiation of preventative measures. It is recommended that strengthening of the hip abductors and the musculature supporting the knee commence early in adult life to avoid valgus collapse and shearing at the knee joint.