GAME ON!

Research offers new hope for beating pesky joint pain

- Patricia Pearson

YOU MIGHT BE IN YOGA CLASS when you first feel it. When did downward dog get so hard on the wrists? Or it could be at your weekly tennis game that you notice your knees screaming at you whenever you pivot. Chances are, it's arthritis, which isn't just an old-people problem: It usually kicks in between the ages of 40 and 60.

By far the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Typically, it strikes after decades of physical activity gradually wear down cartilage. That's the rubbery, frictionless tissue that serves as a shock absorber between bones, making it more comfortable to move our skeletons around. After years of wear and tear, or an injury such as a fracture or dislocation, that cushion can harden and fray like a dried-out rubber band, causing the entire joint to become inflamed and painful. In fact, the word arthritis comes from the Greek arthro, which means "joint," and itis, which means "inflammation." Among Americans ages 50 to 80, 70% report joint pain, according to a national survey done in 2022 at the University of Michigan. Nearly half of those with joint pain had osteoarthritis, or OA, the survey found, while 11% had rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease.

Women are more likely to suffer from OA than men, for reasons that remain unclear. The World Health Organization estimates that 528 million people worldwide have OA, and that number is projected to increase over the next decade as the population ages.

The joints that bear the brunt of OA are most often the knees, knuckles, base of the thumb, lower back and hips. OA sufferers might notice swelling or even feel a grating sensation in their joints, and some people experience aching that's deep enough to wake them up at night. Stiffness is common, particularly in the morning, and things like opening a jar or bending down aren't as easy as they used to be.

HOW CAN YOU EASE THE PAIN?