Arthritis is a common disorder that affects your joints. It can cause pain and inflammation, making it difficult to move or stay active. There are many types of arthritis. Each form causes different symptoms and may need different treatments. While arthritis usually affects older adults, it can develop in men, women and children of any age.
Arthritis is a disease that affects your joints (areas where your bones align and move). Arthritis usually involves inflammation or degeneration (breakdown) of your joints. These changes can cause pain when you use the joint.
Arthritis is most common in the following areas of the body:
- Feet.
- Hands.
- Hips.
- Knees.
- Lower back.
Arthritis is a broad term that describes more than 100 different joint conditions. The most common types of arthritis include:
Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, which develops when joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress. It’s the most common form of arthritis.
Ankylosing spondylitis, or arthritis of the spine (usually your lower back).
Juvenile arthritis (JA), a disorder where the immune system attacks the tissue around joints. JA typically affects children 16 or younger.
Gout, a disease that causes hard crystals of uric acid to form in your joints.
Psoriatic arthritis, joint inflammation that develops in people with psoriasis (autoimmune disorder that causes skin irritation).