
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?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July - August 2023 من Reader's Digest US.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July - August 2023 من Reader's Digest US.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول

OUT OF THE WATER!
A HORRIFIC SHARK ATTACK NEARLY KILLS A SWIMMER... 90 MINUTES LATER, IT HAPPENS AGAIN

The Americas
Narrated by Tom Hanks

Just a Snore or Something More?
Sleep apnea is on the rise, and it can be dangerous. How to tell if you or your sleeping partner has it.

Some People Have All the Luck
Once in a while, the toast does fall jelly-side up

My Lucky Day
Six tales of good fortune sure to make you smile

"I CAN'T STOP!"
A sports fan gets sucked into online betting. It nearly wrecks his family.

My Dead Friend Zoe
Starring Sonequa Martin-Green

Rx Mistakes Pharmacists Want You to Quit Making
For starters, take your pills out of the medicine cabinet

The Best Guy I Know
When Uncle George calls, it's always worth picking up

THE CRAZIEST HOTEL STAY EVER
It all started when no one was at the front desk to greet them. So the friends stepped up, and soon they were in charge.