 Health & Nutrition
Thoughts on
Aging
Arthritis
(2 minutes: 30 seconds)
 MP3 (audio
only)
Audio/Video Script:
Dr. LaVona Traywick
Assistant Professor - Gerontology
[Announcer] Welcome to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona Traywick,
Assistant Professor of Gerontology with the University of Arkansas Division of
Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
[Dr. LaVona Traywick] Did you know that arthritis is not a single disease? It is an umbrella term
used for a group of more than 100 medical conditions that affect nearly 46
million adults and 300,000 children in the United States. These conditions
affect the musculoskeletal system and specifically the joints.
Joints with
Arthritis cause pain, stiffness, inflammation, and damage to cartilage and
surrounding structures. Such damage leads to joint weakness, instability, and
deformity that can potentially interfere with daily activities.
For some people,
arthritis does not just affect the joints; arthritis classified as systemic can
affect the whole body causing damage to bodily organs and systems.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is the leading
cause of arthritic-related disability in the United States.
The Arthritis Foundation has some tips for living with arthritis, some of
which include:
- Pay attention to your body. If you have persistent
joint pain, swelling, or soreness, see your doctor and get an accurate
diagnosis; each type of arthritis has different treatment options.
- Another tip is to avoid excess stress on your joints when carrying
things. For example, don’t carry something in your hand that could be
carried in the crock of your elbow. And don’t carry something at your elbow
that could be carried on your shoulder.
- Another tip is to exercise. Exercise helps lesson pain, increase
your range of
motion, reduces fatigue, and it just helps you to feel better overall. The Cooperative
Extension Services offers a wide variety of fitness programs that are good
for your joints. Find exercises that are fun for you.
If you would like more tips on dealing with Arthritis, contact the local
Arthritis Foundation. I’m Dr. LaVona Traywick. Thanks for listening to my "Thoughts on
Aging".
[Announcer] Thank you for listening to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona
Traywick. To learn more about this and other topics, contact your local county
Cooperative
Extension Service office.
References:
Arthritis Foundation. "Osteoarthritis: What is it?" Retrieved 1-14-09 from
http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=32
Arthritis Foundation. "How to care for yourself." Retrieved 1-14-09 from
http://www.arthritis.org/how-to-care-for-yourself.php
Saxon, S. V., & Etten, M. J. (2002). Physical change & aging: A guide for
the helping professions, (4th ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
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