Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease in clinical practice, and cartilage damage is a typical pathological change. The pathogenesis of OA is complex, and various adverse factors can lead to the occurrence of OA. Mitochondria are important organelles within cells and play important roles in cellular physiological and pathological activities. Mitochondrial quality control is an important regulatory mechanism in the body to maintain normal mitochondrial structure and function, mainly including mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial autophagy, mitochondrial oxidative stress, and other forms. The imbalance of mitochondrial quality control in chondrocytes is closely related to the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis, and regulating the balance of mitochondrial quality control is a potential therapeutic point for osteoarthritis. The author reviewed relevant research literature in recent years to provide a review of the relationship between mitochondrial quality control and the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis, in order to provide new ideas and directions for the research and diagnosis and treatment strategies of osteoarthritis.