How many people in the United States have arthritis?

Currently, an estimated 46 million Americans reported that their doctor told them they had arthritis. As our nation’s population ages, the prevalence is expected to increase.

How many children have arthritis?

A new CDC study estimates that 294,000 U.S. children under age 18 (or 1 in 250 children) have been diagnosed with arthritis or another rheumatologic condition. (Type data table and state table.) Prior estimates ranged from 80,000 to 290,000, depending on the definition of arthritis, age range and methods used to find cases. However, many of these prior estimates were based on extrapolations from small studies done in small geographic areas which could have led lead to chance variation in estimates.

Is exercise recommended for people who have arthritis?

Recent studies have shown that moderate physical activity 3 or more days a week can help to relieve arthritis pain and stiffness and give you more energy. Regular physical activity can also lift your mood and make you feel more positive.

An activity that produces a slight increase in heart rate or breathing is considered moderate physical activity. Low-impact activities performed at a moderate pace work best for people with arthritis. These include walking, swimming, and riding a bicycle. Everyday activities such as dancing, gardening, and washing the car can be good if done at a moderate pace that produces slight breathing and heart rate changes.

If you are having an acute flare-up of your inflammatory arthritis, it may be better to restrict your exercise to simple range of motion (carefully moving the joint as far as it can go) during the flare-up.

How does body weight influence arthritis?

Weight control is essential; research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis and may decrease disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis.

Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including self-management activities, can help people with arthritis decrease pain, improve function, stay productive, and lower health care costs. Key self-management activities include the following:

Learn Arthritis Management Strategies - Learning techniques to reduce pain and limitations can be beneficial to people with arthritis. Self-management education, such as the Arthritis Foundation Self Help Program (AFSHP), or the Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP) help you develop the skills and confidence to manage your arthritis on a day to day basis. For example, AFSHP has been shown to reduce pain even 4 years after participating in the program.

Be Active - Research has shown that physical activity decreases pain, improves function, and delays disability. Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 3 days a week. You can get activity in 10-minute intervals. Read about the physical activity programs the CDC recommends for people with arthritis.

Watch Your Weight - The prevalence of arthritis increases with increasing weight. Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing arthritis and may decrease disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis.

See Your Doctor - Although there is no cure for most types of arthritis, early diagnosis and appropriate management is important, especially for inflammatory types of arthritis. For example, early use of disease-modifying drugs can affect the course of rheumatoid arthritis. If you have symptoms of arthritis, see your doctor and begin appropriate management of your condition.

Protect Your Joints - Joint injury can lead to osteoarthritis. People who experience sports or occupational injuries or have jobs with repetitive motions like repeated knee bending have more osteoarthritis. Avoid joint injury to reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Certain factors have been shown to be associated with a greater risk of arthritis. Some of these risk factors are modifiable while others are not.

Non-modifiable risk factors

Age: The risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age.
Gender: Most types of arthritis are more common in women; 60% of all people with arthritis are women. Gout is more common in men.
Genetic: Specific genes are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), and ankylosing spondylitis.

Modifiable risk factors

Overweight and Obesity: Excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Joint Injuries: Damage to a joint can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint.
Infection: Many microbial agents can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of arthritis.
Occupation: Certain occupations involving repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The focus of treatment for arthritis is to control pain, minimize joint damage, and improve or maintain function and quality of life. According to the American College of Rheumatology, the treatment of arthritis might involve the following:

• Medication
• Nonpharmacologic therapies
  • Physical or occupational therapy
  • Splints or joint assistive aids
  • Patient education and support
  • Weight loss
• Surgery

In conjunction with medical treatment, self-management of arthritis symptoms is very important as well.

The Arthritis Foundation Self Help Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, both developed by Dr. Kate Lorig of Stanford University, are effective self-management education programs. These program help people develop the skills needed to manage their arthritis on a day to day basis and gain the confidence to carry it out.

The word arthritis actually means joint inflammation. The term arthritis is used to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues which surround the joint and other connective tissue. The pattern, severity and location of symptoms can vary depending on the specific form of the disease. Typically, rheumatic conditions are characterized by pain and stiffness in and around one or more joints. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Certain rheumatic conditions can also involve the immune system and various internal organs of the body.

• Childhood Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• General
• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus)