Next time you’re at a cocktail party, look to the left and then to the right. Chances are the person to one side of you is struggling with arthritis—a medical diagnosis applied to more than 100 conditions affecting our bones and joints. Although arthritis affects people of all ages, it’s more common in older people.

Arthritis is inflammation of the joint where two bones come together. Bones are covered with cartilage, a spongy material that cushions them. The joint itself is enclosed in a casing that produces a slippery liquid to prevent friction between the bones as they move. With arthritis, the area in and around the joint becomes inflamed, painful, and sometimes stiff.


The most common forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and its closely related counterpart fibromyalgia.

Osteoarthritis (OA) happens when the cartilage covering the ends of the bones wears away over time, causing friction, pain, and swelling. You usually feel this in your weight-bearing joints first, such as your feet, knees, hip, spine, and hands. Because symptoms come on gradually, osteoarthritis is considered a degenerative joint disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes joints to become inflamed and swollen. This inflammation spreads to the bone and surrounding tissue, and can even affect your eyes, skin, and nerves. Hands, wrists, and knees are usually affected, but RA can make other joints painful. Because it affects your entire system it can also include fever, rash, and fatigue.

Psoriatic arthritis is related to the skin condition psoriasis and causes joint swelling along with nail lesions, silver or gray scales, and skin patches on the head, elbows, knees, or lower spine. A person’s fingers can take on a sausage-like appearance from the swelling associated with this form of arthritis.

Fibromyalgia mimics arthritic pain and tenderness in the muscles; many folks who have fibromyalgia also have RA. Although fibromyalgia is often considered arthritis-related, it’s not, because it doesn’t cause inflammation or damage to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. Fibromyalgia mostly affects women and causes tender spots on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower extremities. As a result, it can interfere with sleep; some people find relief with an underquilt, which is a soft, thick mattress pad that helps to evenly distribute body weight so that the tender points are not aggravated.

To help you understand the condition of your joints, your care provider may want to take X-rays or an MRI, as well as run blood, urine, and joint-fluid tests to determine the type of arthritis that may be affecting your joints.


It might seem counterintuitive to exercise a joint that you’re having problems moving, but an exercise program including three types of exercise (range of motion, strengthening, and endurance) can help reduce pain and joint inflammation in some people.

People with arthritis should start with 15 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week, and then work up to 30 minutes daily. All activity should begin with at least 15 minutes of gentle stretching and range-of-motion exercises, followed by a five to 10 minute warm up, and ending with a five to 10 minute cool-down.

Strengthening exercises increase muscle tissue and keep tendons and ligaments strong to support and stabilize the joints. Strengthening exercises may include isometrics or isotonics. Isometrics alternately flex and relax specific muscle groups, and isotonics exercise muscles through increased repetitions or light resistance with resistance bands or small dumbbells.

Some women find that yoga and tai chi are easy and enjoyable ways to improve flexibility and strength. New research findings indicate that water aerobics help relieve joint pain and improve flexibility and strength. Regardless of the type of exercise, it should be a daily routine in people with arthritis.

• Are you female? Arthritis occurs more frequently in women.
• Are you overweight or obese? Extra weight adds extra stress to your joints, causing them to wear more quickly over time.
• Are you a heavy lifter? Injuries associated with heavy lifting or repetitive motion are related to arthritis.
• Does a family member have arthritis? Some families have a greater incidence of osteoarthritis than others, and there’s a theory that genetics influence how fast your cartilage breaks down.
• Do you have joint problems? Some people have mismatched joint surfaces or defective cartilage, causing osteoarthritis.
• Are you a couch potato? Regular weight-bearing exercise protects joints, stimulating the growth of cartilage and strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the joint.
• Are you post-menopausal? New research indicates that estrogen may promote healthy joints in women and that hormone replacement therapy in women who can tolerate its effects may reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.

About the Author: Jaynelle F. Stichler, DNSc, RNC, is a principal and senior consultant at NTDStichler, Inc. in San Diego, California.