About Arthritis
Overview
Making an Educated Decision about Your Quality of Life
Arthritis is a general term meaning "inflammation of the joint." There are more than 100 different kinds of arthritic conditions that can affect the human body.
In its early stages, it is common for people to ignore joint discomfort. As arthritis progresses, activities like walking, driving, and standing can become challenging and painful. If you suffer from joint pain or limited mobility, we encourage you to learn more about arthritis treatment options with your doctor to help get you back to the business of daily living.
Many conditions can lead to the need for treatment from an orthopedic surgeon. There are many options available for treatment, both surgical and non-surgical. We hope that being informed of these options will lessen the fear or hesitation some have in seeking treatment for any of these conditions.
Our recommendation is to seek the medical advice of a physician who, after a physical examination, can give you appropriate advice about your medical condition.
| 46.9 Million1 | Number of Americans affected by arthritis |
| 66 Million2 | Number of Americans at risk for osteoarthritis by year 2030 |
| 50% or 13.2 Million3 | Number of Americans with chronic joint pain who think nothing can be done to help them |
| 23 Million4 | Number of Americans reporting chronic joint symptoms that have not been diagnosed with arthritis |
| One in five or 21%5 | Number of American adults with doctor diagnosed arthritis |
- Pleis JR, Lethbridge-Çejku M. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National health interview survey, 2005. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(232). 2006.
- National Institutes of Health. NIH publication number 06-4617.
- www.arthritis.org/resources/gettingstarted/default.asp
- Bolen J. et. al., Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis – United States, 2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 54:119-123.
- J Hootman, PhD, J Bolen, PhD, C Helmick, MD, G Langmaid,. Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation --- United States, 2003—2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 2006;55(40):1089-1092.
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