It also belies the common belief that arthritis is an older person's disease. The average age of onset is in the mid-twenties. However, most rheumatologists are sceptical of this because the evidence is unclear. These agents reduce the inflammation which allows sufficient flexibility to engage in exercises. The exercises are important to coping with the disease and maintaining good posture and fitness.
Exercise is the key to a long run coping strategy.
A major problem for me, and many others with this disease, has been the very long periods of mis-diagnosis we have had to endure, with inadequate treatment during that period. It was 14 years in my own case and, even then, it took some time to convince the doctors, despite the evidence over a number of years of many of the symptoms and a copy of the NASS handbook in my hand. Also, my late brother had the disease. This did not seem to be consistent with the degree of sustained pain I had over a long period, and the amount of Ibuprofen I was prescribed for over ten years. I consider that my fitness levels, and the fact that I liked to keep active, helped me overcome the early effects of the disease.