occurrence of degenerative joint disease in the radius: analysis

of the test. When the degrees of freedom are greater than one,
as in this analysis, typically the expected frequencies should
be at least five (Kirk, 1990). However, the results are still
reported and any error is assumed to be relatively minor. The
sample for the study of degenerative joint disease includes only
adult specimens.
Pitting
In terms of the overall presence and absence of pitting in
this study, pitting usually appeared independently on its own
and accompanied or preceded lipping in advanced stages of DJD.
Slight pitting is often not categorized as clinical degenerative
joint disease due to the difficulty in distinguishing between
pitting due to vascularization, which occurs in healthy bone,
and pitting due to thinning of the bone surface as seen in
degenerative joint disease (Jurmain, 1999). Buikstra and
Ubelaker (1994) have noted that natural variation in bone can
produce pitting that is not directly related to degenerative
joint disease (Figures 3.3 and 3.4). In the Poole-Rose sample,
about 62% of the specimens analyzed for pitting on both proximal
and distal joint surfaces showed at least some degree of minimal
pitting, while about 20% showed moderate to severe pitting.
Pitting appears to be the most prevalent characteristic of DJD
in the radii, followed by lipping and eburnation.
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