ARTHRITIS...THE PAIN... THE TRAUMA
Arthritis Arthritis affects the musculoskeletal system, specifically the joints. It is the main cause of disability among people over fifty-five years of age in industrialized countries. The word arthritis comes from the Greek ''arthron'' meaning "joint" and the Latin ''itis'' meaning " inflammation ". The plural of arthritis is arthritides. Arthritis is not a single disease - it is a term that covers over 100 medical conditions. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and generally affects elderly patients. Some forms of arthritis can affect people at a very early age. What causes arthritis? In order to better understand what is going on when a person suffers from some form of arthritis, let us look at how a joint works. Basically, a joint is where one bone moves on another bone. Ligaments hold the two bones together. The ligaments are like elastic bands, while they keep the bones in place your muscles relax or...