And he was so tired. Meltzer's patient has rheumatic arthritis, one of over 100 types of arthritis. Seventy-nine percent of arthritis sufferers are over age 45. But it's not just a disease concerning the aging workforce. Approximately 285,000 children and 8.4 million Americans age 17-44 are affected by arthritis, according to the foundation.
Arthritis affects more women than men.
Of the over 125 million workers in the US., 1.7 million reported activity limitations due to arthritis, according to the Census Bureau. The most common type is osteoarthritis, which occurs from worn-out joints. It's possible that everyone over age 60 has it to some degree, but few have it bad enough to notice symptoms, according to the foundation. Besides pain, osteoarthritis can make the muscles around the affected joint weak, causing problems with balance and coordination. These symptoms are generally felt daily.