Arthritis FAQ

I've learned so much about arthritis since I signed up for the Joints in Motion run and it really is incredible that so many people think it is just a minor affliction that affects old people. That's a small part of it, but there are debilitating strains that attack children and adults and cause tremendous pain. Here are some facts you may not have known:

How common is arthritis?

A Health Canada study published in 2003 indicated that 1 in 6 Canadians has some type of arthritis (most commonly osteoarthritis), and 60% of them are under the age of 65.

What are the most common types of arthritis?

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, but the most common is osteoarthritis. It affects about 10% of the population in Canada. It affects men and women in equal numbers. Most people develop osteoarthritis after 45, but it can occur at any age.

Gout, a type of arthritis that results from too much uric acid in the body, affects about 1 in 60 Canadians.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another common type of arthritis, affecting about 1 in 100 people, but twice as many women as men. It causes inflammation in the synovial lining of the joints or internal organs, and the damage worsens as the immune system’s attack continues.

Ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis that often attacks the spinal joints, now appears to be as common as rheumatoid arthritis. It is more often developed by men between the ages of 15 and 40.

Is arthritis hereditary?

There are some forms of arthritis which are clearly inherited, but most are not. There is some evidence that ankylosing spondylitis and gout are inherited, but other common forms such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis show only a weak tendency to be inherited.

Are physically active people more prone to arthritis?

There are certainly some occupations which predispose people to develop arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis. Miners who have to kneel to dig in the coal-seam are prone to develop arthritis of their spines and knees. Footballers also tend to develop arthritis of their knees and ankles with the repeated injuries they receive. There is no evidence that someone who is generally physically active and who has not been injured in sport is any more prone to develop arthritis than non-active people.

Why is arthritis on the rise?

By 2026, it’s estimated that more than 6 million Canadians older than 15 will have arthritis, up from 4 million Canadians today. This is due to an increase in obesity, longer life expectancy and an aging baby boomer population.

Arthritis Statistics

• In British Columbia, 15.3 per cent of the population has arthritis. That is about 600,000 people aged 15 and over.
• Arthritis is among the top three most common chronic diseases in Canada.
• Arthritis and related conditions can lead to death (2 per 100,000 die from arthritis).
• Arthritis is among the most common chronic diseases in children. One in 1,000 children in Canada has arthritis.
• Arthritis affects more adults than cancer, heart disease, respiratory conditions and spinal cord trauma, and has a serious impact on quality of life.
• Aboriginal Canadians are harder hit by arthritis, especially older women. (Aboriginal women are affected the most, 70% aged 65 and older live with the disease, compared to 50% of non-Aboriginal women in the same age group.)

See www.arthritis.ca/bc for even more info.