OSTEOARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is a typical cause of joint pain and disability. Osteoarthritis, or OA, occurs when the cartilage in the joint breaks down, causing pain, inflammation and problems moving the joint. The age of onset and progression can vary from person to person, however, most patient's symptoms begin with joint pain and functional limitations.
Osteoarthritis most often occurs in the knees, hips, lower back and joints in the hands. As the cartilage wears away and the OA progresses, the bones may begin to rub directly against one another, causing the bones to break down and develop osteophytes. Osteophytes, or more commonly known as "bone spurs", are bony projections that develop in the joint.
There are various factors that may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis including, genetic causes, being overweight and injury or overuse. X-ray and MRI are the most common diagnostic tools for assessing osteoarthritis, as the changes to the joint can be seen and evaluated.
At Bluewater Clinical Research Group, we are proud to contribute to the research that may one day lead to the development of novel treatments for osteoarthritis. We are currently enrolling patients with a diagnosis of OA of the knee or hip, for an exciting clinical trial.
To find out more, or see if you may qualify, please provide us with your contact information and one of our enrollment facilitators will be happy to get in touch with you. As everyone has different schedules, we may even text you to set up a good time to talk.
Clinical research studies can have varying criteria to participate in them. We will be contacting you to discuss the inclusion and exclusion criteria for this study to help us determine if you qualify and if the study may be a good fit for you.
