Why does aging cartilage exhibit reduced resilience under compressive loads, leading to increased osteoarthritis risk?

💡 Explanation

Reduced resilience in aging cartilage occurs because of decreased proteoglycan synthesis, which impairs the cartilage's ability to retain water and withstand compression. Therefore, the risk of osteoarthritis increases as the cartilage loses its shock-absorbing capacity, rather than from increased chondrocyte activity or enhanced collagen cross-linking.

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