Arthritis

Arthritis is Australia's major cause of disability and chronic pain, affecting an estimated 3.4 million people as of 2004, representing 16.7% of the population. 60% of all people with arthritis are of working age.

Arthritis affects joints. Joints affected become painful and may swell. This is turn leads to problems such as difficulty climbing stairs, pain with lifting or playing sports, or increasing difficulty using one's hands.

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but there are many different forms of arthritis. Depending on the diagnosis and assessment, treatment may consists of a variable combination of medication, strengthening exercises, structural supports to help joint function, or even joint injection.

The goal of these treatments is to reduce pain but also to prevent progressive pain and loss of function as well as to minimize further damage to the joints.