Post-traumatic arthritis is a form of osteoarthritis ( wearing away of cartilage in the joint) that is caused or aggravated by trauma.
It is estimated that 12 percent of all cases of osteoarthritis are post-traumatic in origin.
Post-traumatic arthritis can be caused by auto accidents, falls, athletic injuries or other forms of physical trauma.
Symptoms of post-traumatic arthritis are joint pain, joint instability or spurring of bone.
Diagnosis is typically made from X-Rays or MRI which show a wearing away of cartilage.
New treatments for post-traumatic arthritis include Platelet Rich Protein Injections where the patients own blood and plasma helps the healing process along as well as amniotic membrane stem cell injections which are a cutting edge way to stimulate the healing process.
Severe cases may require joint replacement surgery.
While post-traumatic arthritis can occur in many parts of the body, it is especially prevalent in knee injuries where 57% of all individuals suffering trauma to the knee later develop arthritis.
Post-traumatic arthritis can result from an acute joint injury, a meniscal or ligament tear, or an intra-articular fracture,
It can develop in as little as 6 months after a traumatic accident.
Personal injury attorneys should focus efforts on developing the costs of future medical care, which may be substantially any time arthritis develops following an auto accident or other trauma.
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