Disorders of skeletal system

Disorders of skeletal system

The two major disorders of the skeletal system are arthritis and osteoporosis.

1. Arthritis is an inflammatory or degenerative disease that damages joints, with several distinct forms:

• Osteoarthritis — the bone ends of freely movable joints (especially the knees, hip, fingers and vertebral column) gradually wear away as a person ages, a mechanical "wear-and-tear" process.
• Rheumatoid arthritis — an inflammatory condition in which the synovial membranes become inflamed and fluid accumulates in the joints, causing swelling and severe pain; it can begin at any age, though symptoms usually emerge before the age of fifty.
• Gouty arthritis (gout) — inflammation caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in synovial joints, resulting from either overproduction of uric acid or an inability to excrete it efficiently. …