8 Facts About Arthritis

Arthritis Facts

Cory Calendine, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Update June, 2026

Arthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat, and one of the most misunderstood. These arthritis facts are the points I want every patient to understand, because knowing them helps you protect your joints and make better decisions about care.

Arthritis affects about 1 in 5 adults in the United States and is a leading cause of disability. It is most common after age 55, but it is not only a disease of older adults. The hallmark symptoms are joint pain and stiffness that can make everyday activities and work harder over time.

There is no cure for arthritis. The good news is that proactive management works, and the earlier you start, the more you can preserve your mobility and quality of life.

8 Arthritis Facts to Know

1. Osteoarthritis is the most common type. Often called wear-and-tear arthritis, it develops when the smooth cartilage that cushions a joint breaks down and bone begins to rub on bone. That causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, most often in the knees, hips, hands, and spine.
2. Arthritis is really more than 100 conditions. Besides osteoarthritis, common inflammatory forms include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, and arthritis linked to lupus. They share joint pain as a symptom, but their causes differ.
3. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your own joints. RA symptoms are usually symmetric, affecting the same joints on both sides of the body, and can come with fatigue and whole-body effects.
4. Gout is caused by uric acid crystals. Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that triggers sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness, and swelling in a joint, classically the big toe.
5. Many risk factors are within your control. Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and avoiding repetitive joint stress or injury all lower your risk. Excess weight is especially hard on the knees, hips, and spine.
6. Some risk factors are not. Age, family history, and sex all play a role. The risk of most types rises with age, women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and (after about age 50) osteoarthritis, and gout is more common in men.
7. A past joint injury raises your future risk. A previous knee or hip injury, such as one from sports or an accident, significantly increases the chance of developing osteoarthritis in that joint years later.
8. Arthritis hits the Southeast hard. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability nationwide, and prevalence is especially high across Southern states, including Tennessee. That makes local, expert evaluation worthwhile if joint pain is slowing you down.

Common Arthritis Symptoms to Watch For

Arthritis symptoms vary by type, but most share a familiar set of warning signs. The most common are:

• Joint pain, especially with activity or after rest.
• Stiffness, often worst in the morning or after sitting.
• Swelling and tenderness in one or more joints.
• A reduced range of motion in the affected joint.
• Sometimes redness or a change in skin color over the joint.

Osteoarthritis tends to build slowly over years and stays in specific joints. Inflammatory types like rheumatoid arthritis can come on faster, affect both sides of the body, and bring whole-body symptoms such as fatigue. Persistent or worsening joint pain deserves an evaluation rather than a wait-and-see approach, because early treatment protects the joint.

Osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid Arthritis

The two most common forms damage joints in very different ways. Knowing which one you have shapes the entire treatment plan.

Can You Lower Your Risk of Arthritis?

You cannot change your age, sex, or family history, but several of the most important arthritis risk factors are within your control. Small, steady habits add up over the years.

• Keep a healthy weight. Every extra pound adds several pounds of force across the knees and hips with each step, which speeds cartilage wear.
• Stay active. Regular, low-impact movement keeps joints lubricated and the surrounding muscles strong. Motion is one of the best things you can do for an aging joint.
• Do not smoke. The toxins in cigarette smoke damage connective tissue and raise the risk of inflammatory arthritis.
• Protect your joints. Use good technique during sports and heavy work, and treat injuries promptly, since a past joint injury raises the long-term risk of osteoarthritis.

None of these guarantees you will avoid arthritis, but together they meaningfully lower your risk and slow its progression if it does develop.

Arthritis Treatment Options

Arthritis has no cure, but in its early and middle stages it responds well to conservative care. The goal is simple: control pain, protect the joint, and keep you moving.

The measures that help most patients include:

• Staying physically active with joint-friendly, low-impact exercise such as walking, cycling, or swimming.
• Reaching and keeping a healthy weight to take stress off the joints.
• Physical therapy to build the muscles that support and protect a joint.
• Heat for stiffness and cold for swelling, an easy and inexpensive option you can read about in my guide on heat versus cold for joint pain.
• Medication, from oral options like Tylenol and ibuprofen to topical creams and gels.

When pain persists, I offer a range of nonsurgical joint pain treatments, including cortisone and gel (hyaluronic acid) injections and options like PRP for knee osteoarthritis.

When a joint has become severe, bone-on-bone, and no longer responds to those measures, joint replacement provides the closest thing to a cure we have today. For the right patient, a total knee replacement or total hip replacement can dramatically reduce pain and restore function.

Watch: Dr. Calendine on Arthritis and Joint Replacement

The Bottom Line on These Arthritis Facts

Arthritis is common, complex, and chronic, but it is not something you simply have to endure. Knowing the type of arthritis you have, understanding your risk factors, and starting treatment early are the most powerful steps you can take.

Protect the basics: stay active, keep a healthy weight, do not smoke, and address joint injuries promptly. When conservative care stops working, modern surgical options can give you your life back.

If joint pain is limiting what you love to do, I would be glad to help you sort out the cause and build a plan. Learn more about my background and approach, or schedule a consultation at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee in Franklin, TN. No referral is required.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. See a qualified orthopaedic surgeon or rheumatologist for evaluation of persistent joint pain.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Arthritis Basics. CDC. 2024.
2. Mayo Clinic Staff. Arthritis: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. 2026.
3. Hootman JM, Helmick CG, Barbour KE, Theis KA, Boring MA. Updated projected prevalence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation among US adults, 2015 to 2040. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2016;68(7):1582-1587.
4. Northwestern Medicine. 10 Things You Should Know About Arthritis. 2021.