By the year 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans will be affected by osteoarthritis (OA). Although surgery can relieve painful OA symptoms and improve mobility, many patients are not candidates for surgery or hope to delay surgery if possible. Hyaluronic acid (HA) injections have become a popular alternative therapy after studies showed that arthritic joints have a 33-50% decrease in both the concentration and molecular weight of HA. Explain how HA is responsible for maintaining normal joint biomechanics. Why would changing the size of HA affect its function?
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