these can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, and blockages of the legs, and lead to the loss of a limb. about 50% of the elderly population suffers from some form of arthritis, a disease that causes the joints to become stiff and painful. osteoarthritis commonly affects joints around the hands, wrists, hips, and knees. ...this is a special condition where the cartilage of the body undergoes degeneration. the cartilages in the body work as shock absorbers in the joints. they enable a joint to function smoothly and normally. human cartilage does not last the lifetime that humans now have. as we get older, the cartilage undergoes qualitative and quantitative changes. older women are particularly at risk for osteoporosis-- a loss of bone density so severe, that a bone will break even with only minor injury. the most common thing we break from osteoporosis is the vertebral body, but when we're talking about gait, it's the hip. and the hip fracture is deadly. if you look at women who are of caucasian background, by the age of 90, one in three of them will have had a broken hip, and duri