Arthritis is the most common joint disorder in the world. An estimated 10% to 15% of all adults over 60 of age have osteoarthritis; prevalence is higher among women than in men. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis has a prevalence between 0.3% and 1% and is more common in women.1
Arthritis has a huge impact on the quality of life of an individual. It causes pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion in the affected joint. It may affect one or more joints in the body. The arthritic symptoms limit a person from doing daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, brushing, writing etc. In most of the cases, arthritis gets worse with time.
Arthritis is a joint disease that causes inflammation of the joint. Two bones meet and form a joint. The ends of both the bones are covered with a coating called as cartilage and the space between the bones are filled with synovial fluid, which acts as the lubricant of the joint. Damage to the cartilage slowly leads to arthritis. Arthritis can affect any joint of the body, but it mainly affects the weight-bearing joints, such as knee, hips, and ankle.
Most common type of arthritis-related conditions are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis