Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widely prevalent chronic condition of older individuals that affects certain diarthrodial joints. Elsewhere, I have discussed the interrelations of ageing and OA from a 'geriatric perspective', exploring basic knowledge of cellular ageing and senescence and speculating as to how these conditions may relate to cartilage changes in the osteoarthritic joint.' especially can expect increasingly to achieve an age approaching 85 and men perhaps a few years less. The implications relating to the health of the very old in comparison with those aged 65-75, has prompted a distinction between the 'oldest-old' or extreme aged to include the former group, and the 'young-old' to designate the latter group.5In a population that is growing very old, medical conditions or morbidities (table 1) become increasingly manifest.5 There is much debate about the relation of ageing and these diseases, whether or not they are 'inevitable', how they are associated with the ageing processes, and the influence of genetic and environmental factors on their expression.7-9For a much longer lived population, the critical health issue is whether the expression of age related morbidities will eventually be compressed into the last years of a long life of good quality, or whether, even if postponed, there will be an extension of morbidities through many years of longer life. Those who support the prediction of a compression of morbidity cite medical advances and widely observed health practices-including prudent diet, exercise, maintenance of an ideal weight, cessation of smoking, and moderation in alcohol use, all of which have a positive impact on health. ' 65-75, to 10-8% in those of [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84]