University of Utah Aug 12 2025 Nearly a quarter of people over the age of 40 experience painful osteoarthritis, making it a leading cause of disability in adults. Osteoarthritis degrades joint-cushioning cartilage, and there is currently no way of reversing this damage: the only option is to manage pain with medication, and eventually, joint replacement.  Researchers from the University of Utah, New York University and Stanford University are now demonstrating the potential for another option: