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Most prevalent form of arthritis also the toughest to tackle

Helen Klassen of Calgary began to experience symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) in her mid-thirties. She went undiagnosed for nearly 25 years, because of her grin-and-bear-it attitude and the belief that she was just feeling the effects of aging.

Eventually, the OA moved to so many places in her body that she was forced to literally crawl up and down the stairs of her house, often in tears.

In her mid-fifties, Klassen finally received a proper diagnosis and a referral to a rheumatologist. Initially, the answer to the pain was drugs – aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs to counteract the effects of the anti-inflammatories. The one that seemed to work the best for her, Vioxx, was taken off the market in 2004, after a clinical trial indicated an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

At 63, the arthritis was everywhere in her body: her neck, shoulders, arms, fingers, thumbs, hips, knees, ankles, heels and toes. Klassen struggled with what to do. After several trips to a local pool with her grandchildren, she realized that when she was in the water, there was no pain.

She decided to take her health into her own hands. She began swimming regularly, lost weight, and found that her quality of life improved dramatically.

“As my body felt better, I wanted to keep going back to the pool,” she explains. “I found that I’d still get a flare of pain now and then but instead of it knocking me down for a week or two, it would only knock me down for a day.”

Arthritis not just a disease of old age

More than four million Canadians now have arthritis, with a further two million expected to join their ranks over the next two decades. By 2026 more Canadians will have osteoarthritis – the leading form of arthritis and the one most dependent on age – than in all history combined.

The facts also show that the disease isn’t just a disease of old age. In 2000, three of every five arthritis sufferers were younger than 65. In fact, arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, striking approximately one in 1,000 kids under age 16.

Another misconception is that arthritis is a single entity. Arthritis is actually an umbrella term encompassing conditions ranging from tendonitis to pain syndromes including gout and systemic diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus) that can affect many parts of the body, including eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys and blood vessels.

The Arthritis Society’s Lifestyle Makeover Challenge

The Arthritis Society’s Lifestyle Makeover Challenge is a national lifestyle self-management program that encourages Canadians to become more active and eat more healthily to delay the onset and reduce the disability of osteoarthritis.

Just 10 pounds of extra weight is increasing your chances of developing osteoarthritis in your hips and knees. When you increase activity moderately, you will notice a difference in your overall health, including your joints.

Research has proven that:

•Losing 10 lbs translates into a decrease in stress on your knees by 40 lbs.
•Vigorous activity reduces disability caused by some forms of arthritis.
•Increased quadriceps strength provides greater stability to knee joints and decreases joint pain.
•Inactive seniors with arthritis may increase their loss of physical function.

Take the Challenge. Contact the Arthritis Society for information on the Lifestyle Makeover Challenge, as well as other services that will help you live well with arthritis.

Services include disease-specific brochures, online information at www.arthritis.ca, free arthritis registry, public education forums, libraries, volunteering opportunities, and Arthritis Self-Management Program. For further information call 1-800-321-1433 or visit a href="http://www.arthritis.ca" target="_blank">www.arthritis.ca.

Information supplied by the Arthritis Society.

Facts about arthritis
• One in six adult Canadians is inflicted with it.
• Three of every five with arthritis is younger than 65 years old.
• It is among the most common chronic diseases affecting children.
• Women are at highest risk.
• The financial cost last year to Canadian productivity: $3.5 million.
• The cost in human suffering: immeasurable.
• Incidence of it is on the rise.