Arthritis Can Affect Anyone, But Exercise Can Help

Arthritis is cited by the Center for Disease Control as the leading cause of disability in the United States and more than 50 million Americans struggle with some form of the disease.

And the perception of a seniors being the ones who deal with the aching joints synonymous with arthritis is really a wives tale. More than two-thirds of people struggling with arthritis are under the age of 65, according to the CDC.

“Arthritis is not just a disease of the elderly, as most people used to think, and still think. I see arthritis in patients as young as 25 years old,” said Shaheda Quraishi, MD, a physiatrist at North Shore University Hospital. “A more active person at a younger age would certainly see those effects happen much quicker because they’re putting their joints through more activity. It’s something that we see in younger and younger people.”

Arthritis is the result of degeneration, according to Dr. Quraishi. A person throughout their life will put stress on their joints just through the natural movement of the day. Over time, these joints can be worn down and create the pain and restrictive movement symptomatic of arthritis.

“Arthritis is one of those things that you really can’t avoid. It happens to everybody. It happens at different stages and different degrees, but certainly you best defense against it is to keep yourself active,” said Dr. Quraishi.

She suggest s defending against arthritis with strength-building exercises.

“If you have stronger leg muscles, your knees don’t tend to get as much of the force of the body, so they don’t tend to become as arthritic as quickly, so definitely strengthening exercise is your best defense against the natural progression of arthritis,” she said.

Even if a person has arthritis, exercise can still help alleviate symptoms. While high-impact activities such as running or jogging should be avoided, exercises like walking and swimming can go a long way in strengthen muscles without aggravating the joints.

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