Tackling arthritis whatever your age
Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness, 44, has revealed he has arthritis in his shoulder. It’s yet more proof that this condition doesn’t just affect the old. Here’s everything you need to know.
Developing arthritis at a young age is either unlucky or possibly due to damage sustained from sports
WITH more than 10 million people in the UK suffering from arthritis there’s a very good chance you will know at least one person with it.
Symptoms vary from mild to lifechanging. And though some people might only experience the occasional twinge, others suffer constant pain that impacts every aspect of their life.
In fact, arthritis-related conditions are the main cause of disability in Britain and lead to a quarter of people leaving a job or taking early retirement, according to figures from Arthritis Research UK.
WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
Arthritis is a broad term which covers a number of different conditions.
For example, about 400,000 in Britain have rheumatoid arthritis. This form of the condition is when your own immune system starts attacking the cells around the joints – often the back, hips, knees, feet, elbows and wrists – causing them to become inflamed, stiff and painful.
Yet by far the majority – more than eight million – have osteoarthritis. This disease type can affect people of any age but is more common in those aged over 65. It can run in families and is slightly more common in women than men.
“Although osteoarthritis is more associated with age, some people notice the first signs in their 40s,” says Charlie Talbot, consultant shoulder and elbow surgeon at BMI The Duchy Harrogate Hospital, North Yorks.
The exact causes of the condition that affects the body’s joints are not fully understood. Normally, the ends of our joints are covered in a soft spongy coating of cartilage.
This tissue ensures that when we lift our shoulders or bend our knees, the joints move in a smooth, easy action.
“This cartilage is there to cover and protect the ends of the bones and allow joints to move smoothly and freely without pain” says Mr Talbot.
But an injury or the result of another joint disease (such as gout) can damage the cartilage. Also, a repetitive activity performed in a physical job or sport, or simply ageing where the joint becomes worn over time, can lead to the cartilage thinning and becoming damaged.
“The cartilage starts to roughen up meaning that when joints move, they no longer glide and the damaged cartilage surface rubs or ‘catches’, which leads to pain,” Mr Talbot says. “In addition to soreness, those with it often suffer stiffness and swelling which adds to the discomfort.”
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body. In Paddy’s case, it’s his right shoulder.
For some people, cartilage can be completely worn away, meaning that bone rubs against bone, which can be excruciatingly painful.
In other more extreme cases, the bone can become deformed or bone growths form, causing mobility issues.
“Developing arthritis at a young age is either unlucky or possibly due to damage sustained during activity or sports,” adds