MIT engineers find that in the earliest stages of arthritis,
high-impact exercise may worsen cartilage damage.
Osteoarthritis, which affects at least 20 percent of adults
in the United States, leads to deterioration of cartilage, the rubbery tissue
that prevents bones from rubbing together. By studying the molecular properties
of cartilage, MIT engineers have now discovered how the earliest stages of
arthritis make the tissue more susceptible to damage from physical activities such
as running or jumping.