May is #ArthritisAwarenessMonth!
Arthritis is a serious health crisis. The CDC estimates that 1 in 5 US adults have some form of arthritis. While there are estimated to be more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 32.5 million US adults.
OA affects sleep quality, mood, and participating in everyday life. In addition, OA significantly limits a person’s ability to self-manage other conditions. People with OA experience greater pain, fatigue, levels of disability, and activity limitations than people of their comparable age.
The joint sites most often affected by OA include the hands, hips, knees, feet, and spine. Common signs and symptoms of OA include:
- Sore or stiff joints – particularly the hips, knees, and lower back – after inactivity or overuse.
- Limited range of motion or stiffness that goes away after movement.
- Clicking or cracking sound when a joint bends.
- Mild swelling around a joint.
- Pain that is worse after activity or toward the end of the day.
Joint pain is common, but you shouldn’t have to “just live” with pain as you get older. There are many ways to reduce joint pain so you can stay active your entire life. To help you live a full life, the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance just launched a NEW resource section on our website for people with joint pain. Get videos, educational resources, and content to share on:
- What is OA?
- How to manage OA.
- How to prevent OA.
- Staying active with OA.
- Weight loss for people with OA.
- Getting connected to other people with OA.
- Webinars and More!
Explore oaaction.unc.edu/JOINTPAIN to learn how you can get moving on a path to less joint pain. Finally, remember to add the hashtag #ArthritisAwarenessMonth to your social media posts throughout May to help spread the word we can live better with OA!