Why does cartilage breakdown accelerate in an osteoarthritic knee joint under high compressive loads?

💡 Explanation

High compressive loads in osteoarthritis reduce cartilage matrix permeability, which impairs nutrient diffusion to chondrocytes, causing cell death and accelerating cartilage breakdown. Because chondrocytes rely on diffusion for nutrients, reduced diffusion starves the cells, therefore accelerating cartilage degradation, rather than direct matrix compression alone.

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