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Clinical Features of Osteoarthritis


- See: Predisposing Conditions

- OA of Hip:
    - pain on wt-bearing felt in the groin, buttock, or medial thigh;
    - trendelenburg gait will decrease mechanical stress on joint and thereby lessen pain (forces acting on hip joint);
    - pain during sleep results from loss of protective function of muscular splinting;
    - in some cases, a patient w/ OA of the hip will experience acute hip pain which often correlates w/ rupture of subcondral cyst into the joint;

- OA of Fingers and Hand:
    - occurs most often in fifth or sixth decade of life;
    - gradual onset of pain in the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints;
    - aggravating nocturnal fingertip pain and paresthesias may develop;
    - Heberden's nodes:
          - cystic swellings containing gelatinous hyaluronic acid appear on the dorsolateral aspects of DIP joints (see Mucous Cyst);
    - metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints are typically spared;
    - see basal joint arthritis