Why does collagen degradation in articular cartilage accelerate osteoarthritis progression as individuals age?

💡 Explanation

Osteoarthritis progression accelerates due to compromised load distribution because degraded collagen loses its structural integrity, which reduces the cartilage's ability to effectively distribute mechanical stress. Therefore, stress concentrates on smaller areas, causing further damage, rather than being dissipated across the entire joint surface as it would in healthy cartilage.

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