Reflecting the overall structural alterations in the tissue, changes in the flow of interstitial fluid in articular cartilage could be an indicator revealing the onset of osteoarthritis, according to a new study. New research focused on structural and functional changes in articular cartilage at different stages of osteoarthritis. By using finite element modelling, the study combined structural data with functional data measured from articular cartilage samples. This enabled a detailed analysis of how individual structural components affect cartilage loading, and how this process changes in the development of osteoarthritis.