Osteoarthritis and activity—an analysis of the relationship between eburnation, Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM) and age in two Neolithic hunter–gatherer populations from Gotland, Sweden

Abstract

The occurrence of osteoarthritis (OA) as an indicator of physical activity was explored in two Middle Neolithic samples from Gotland (c. 3400-2300 BC) in the Baltic Sea: Ajvide (n ¼ 46) and Vä sterbjers (n ¼ 32). The difficulty in diagnosing OA is recognised and only eburnation was used as a definite criterion for OA. The relationship between eburnation lesions and Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM) was investigated particularly in relation to age, but also with reference to patterns of sex, body side and site. Results show that increasing prevalence of eburnation as well as increased MSM scores was highly correlated with age. In the combined sample, females exhibited higher frequencies of eburnation, while total MSM mean scores were higher in males. Significantly higher MSM mean scores were also found in those individuals with eburnation lesions. Vä sterbjers exhibited higher frequencies of eburnation as well as higher mean MSM scores, which in part may be explained by the difference in age distribution at the two sites. However, the differences in both eburnation and MSM patterns between the sexes, and between age groups as well as between the two sites indicate that other factors also have to be considered. These may include genetic predisposition and possibly activity, although, a direct link (other than age) between eburnation and MSM was difficult to discern.

ArtiFacts: Femoroacetabular Impingement—A New Pathology?

“…The relationship between activity and osteoarthritis from another osteoarcheological study [12] correspond well to the dynamic concept of osteoarthritis and the activity-related development of cam-type deformities. The presentation of the deformity, the damage pattern, and the intraosseous pathologies are entirely comparable to the present-day reports.…”

Age changes of musculoskeletal stress markers and their inter-period comparisons

“…A similar report also came from the upper limb bone sample of prehistoric Native Americans from Central California (Weiss, 2007). Molnar (2006) and Molnar et al (2011) studied frequencies of MSM scores in age-specific contexts among Middle Neolithic skeletons from Gotland Island. These studies showed that aging could account to a considerable degree for higher MSM scores.…”

Enfermedad Articular Degenerativa Y Cambios Entesiales en Seis Colecciones Óseas Prehispánicas Del Noroccidente De América Del Sur

“…encontrado una fuerte correlación entre la EAD y la edad (Bourke 1967;Jurmain y Kilgore 1995;Molnar et al 2011); considerándola como simple consecuencia del proceso de envejecimiento y de la bipedación característica del ser humano, en particular cuando se observa sobre la columna vertebral (Knüsel et al 1997).…”

“…La paleoepidemiología de la EAD ha sido estudiada en varias colecciones óseas de Norteamérica (Bourke 1967;Bridges 1991Bridges , 1992Dabbs 2011;Jurmain 1977, 1980, 1990, Jurmain y Kilgore 1995Ortner 1968;Walker y Hollimon 1989;Watkins 2012;Woo y Sciulli 2011), Europa (Berato et al 1990;Crubézy et al 2002;Molnar et al 2011;Rogers y Dieppe 1994;Rogers et al 1997;H. Waldron 1991H.…”

“…Los CE han sido estudiados principalmente para reconstruir los estilos de vida en el pasado en Europa (Crubézy et al 2002;Havelková et al 2011;Molnar 2006Molnar , 2008Molnar et al 2011;Niinimäki 2011;Palfi y Dutour 1996;Robb 1994Robb , 1998Stefanović y Porčić 2011;Stirland 1998;Villotte 2006Villotte , 2008Villotte et al 2010), Norteamérica (Lovell y Dublenko 1999;Munson Chapman 1997;Steen y Lane 1998;Weiss 2003bWeiss , 2004Weiss , 2007Weiss et al 2012), Asia (Baker et al 2012;Eshed et al 2004;Peterson 1998), África (Churchill y Morris 1998;Dutour 1986) y recientemente, en América del Sur (Acosta 2012;Ponce 2010). Diversos aspectos metodológicos con respecto al registro de la información y al tratamiento estadístico, así como a los factores que influyen en la presencia de los CE han sido objeto de discusión durante las últimas décadas ( Mariotti et al 2004Mariotti et al , 2007Molnar et al 2011;Niinimäki 2011;Robb 1998;Santos et al 2010;Stefanović y Porčić 2011;Stirland 1998;Villotte 2006Villotte , 2008Villotte et al 20...…”