Arthritis, meaning inflamed joint or joints, is an often painful and debilitating disease that affects many of us, especially as we get older. In modern times, it is even more of an issue as we have been given the ability to extend our lives with powerful medical and pharmaceutical intervention. Arthritis affects both men and women, though some variants like fibromyalgia are much more evident in women and likewise gout is a form that is more prevalent in men.

The most common forms of arthritis (like osteoarthritis) directly affect a joint or joints, whilst others (like rheumatoid arthritis) attack areas immediately around the joint or joints. You may also have other conditions that can cause pain in much the same way as arthritis but are not necessarily centred around joints, such as fibromyalgia (affecting the muscles and soft tissue) and many types of systemic disease (affecting multiple organ systems in the body).

It is also worth noting that as our mobility and physical discomfort are compromised, we are more likely to be mentally affected and stressed by the limitations enforced on us.

And just so we’re clear about what a big deal arthritis related disease is, here are a few statistics to put things into perspective:

• 4.11 million people in England are estimated to have osteoarthritis of the knee (around 18% of the population aged 45 and over) and 2.46 million people in England have osteoarthritis of the hip (around 11% of the population aged 45 and over). - Arthritis Research UK

• An estimated 52.5 million adults in the United States reported being told by a doctor that they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia - Centres for Disease Control and Prevention