Namath urged his onlookers to eat right, educate themselves and, perhaps most importantly, to stay active to avoid depression - a common condition in those crippled with arthritis. Namath also said that one in seven Americans has arthritis, and to improve their condition he urged them to maintain a reasonable weight. Because of the nature of the condition and inevitable wear and tear on joints with age, excess weight complicates joint problems. Like 300,000 other Americans under the age of 18, Seth Ginsberg, a sophomore at Babson College in Massachusetts, is riddled with arthritis and is committed to helping those in similar situations. Ginsberg attended the event to promote an arthritis awareness Web site .
Arthritis is a horrible condition.
Aside from regular methods of treatment, such as attention to weight and diet, new treatments are being practiced instead of surgery, said Dr. David Yocum, a UA professor of medicine. These structural modifying techniques involve the injection of growth factor in joints, spurring the rejuvenation of cartilage, Yocum said.