Osteoarthritis afflicts some 16 million Americans, according to the American College of Rheumatology, more than all other forms of chronic arthritis combined. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are morning stiffness and pain, stiffness after periods of rest, pain that worsens with strenuous use of affected joints, joint swelling, and limitation of range of motion. Most people experience their worst stiffness and aching first thing in the morning, with diminishing discomfort as the day progresses. But you might get the most grief when you overuse your affected joints, and enjoy some relief when your rest them. Osteoarthritis can develop in any joint, but you're most likely to notice the tell-tale morning stiffness in those you've overused for years or previously injured.
Musicians often develop it in their fingers, carpenters in the elbow of their dominant arm.
Frequently, sports injuries return as osteoarthritis years, even decades, later. Recently, researchers with the Framingham Heart Study followed 598 older adults for up to 10 years. Compared with those who were least athletic, participants who engaged in the most strenuous physical activity had three times the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee. And as increasing numbers of middle-aged and older adults continue to be physically active, osteoarthritis is sure to become even more of a public health problem. The heavier you are, the more wear and tear those joints must endure.