Arthritis

 

What is Arthritis?

 

Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 medical conditions that affect your joints.

Arthritis-related problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tissue that covers the ends of bones, enabling them to move against each another) and surrounding structures. This can result in joint weakness, instability and deformities that can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, driving a car and preparing food.

As the population ages, the number of people with arthritis is growing. There is a widely held belief that arthritis is simply a consequence of age. But it is not a natural part of ageing. In fact, there are millions of working age sufferers.

Research suggests that early intervention can delay the onset of the disease and may reduce the number of cases of osteoarthritis.

Common Causes of Arthritis

While there are about 100 forms of arthritis, the three most common causes account for 95% of all arthritis. These are:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Psoriatic Arthritis

Less Common Causes of Arthritis

  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Lupus
  • Juvenile Arthritis
  • Scleroderma

 

Specific Arthritis Conditions

 

General Arthritis Information

What is Arthritis?

Rheumatology Conditions

Rheumatoid Conditions - Overview

  • Ankylosing Spondylitis 
  • Fibromyalgia 
  • Lupus 
  • Psoriatic Arthritis 
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis Conditions

Osteoarthritis - Overview

Spine

  • Spondylosis (Spine Arthritis) 
  • Degenerative Disc Disease 
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Osteoporosis

Peripheral Joints

  • Hand or Wrist Arthritis 
  • Hip Arthritis (Osteoarthritis) 
  • Knee Arthritis 
  • Shoulder Arthritis

 

 

Common Arthritis Treatments

There is no known cure for arthritis. However arthritis usually manageable, but can impact on your quality of life and includes varying degrees of discomfort and pain.

With accurate assessment and early treatment, most arthritis sufferers respond effectively to physiotherapy allowing you to quickly resume pain-free and normal activities of daily living. 

Please ask you physiotherapist for their professional treatment advice.