Background

Importance

In North America:

20 percent of the population suffers from degenerative disorders of bone and cartilage, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Musculoskeletal conditions represent the largest burden to our health care system.
As our population ages, musculoskeletal conditions are projected to increase and are already major contributors to long-term disability/chronic pain/reduced quality of life.
10 percent of the population is affected by osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Skeletal injury is the fourth leading cause of morbidity and costs the economy over $9 billion per year.

Skeletal Disabilities:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with a reduction in joint mobility and increased pain.
Osteoporosis is characterized by the progressive destruction of the skeleton, which makes patients prone to fractures and skeletal injury.
Significant skeletal morbidity is attributable to cancer metastasis, bone being the commonest secondary site of tumor metastasis, which often causes bone destruction.
Skeletal disabilities decrease quality of life and overall physical health, particularly such basic needs as walking, standing, and dressing, and can contribute to premature death.

Challenges and Treatments:

Bone and cartilage injuries are increasingly difficult to repair with advancing age.
Currently there is no cure for OA, joint replacement being only a last resort for reducing pain.
Current treatments of skeletal diseases and injuries focus primarily on alleviating pain, minimizing disability, and ameliorating disease progression, though treatments are now being developed to promote the repair and maintenance of the skeletal system.

More coming soon!