Arthritis is the No. 1 cause of disability in the United States. Here’s what you need to know.
- About 52 million adults received an arthritis diagnosis in 2012. Experts expect that number to climb to at least 78 million by 2040.
- Arthritis begins much earlier than most people think. An estimated 62 percent of people with arthritis are under age 65. Juvenile arthritis affects 294,000 children.
- Pain and disability from arthritis, however, rises with age. Nearly one in two people develop troublesome knee arthritis by age 85, and one in four develop painful hip arthritis by age 85.
- Wear and tear on your joints—called osteoarthritis—is the most common type of arthritis. Swelling and joint pain can also result from rheumatic conditions such as gout, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Overweight people are twice as likely to develop arthritis. Losing just 11 pounds can reduce the risk of knee arthritis in women by half.
