September is Pain and Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month; NEW! NHIS Prevalence Infographic; App for Athletic Coaches and Trainers

	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC 24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People September 25, 2024

September Arthritis Newsletter	cdc.gov/arthritis

Managing Arthritis Pain With Movement

September is both Pain Awareness Month and Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month. Rheumatic diseases usually affect joints, tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles. Arthritis is one of those rheumatic diseases. And there are over 100 types of arthritis alone! Some of the most well-known types of arthritis are: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Fibromyalgia Gout Arthritis can cause pain in the joints and tissues around the joints. Disease management varies by type of arthritis, but one of the most effective strategies for reducing arthritis pain is physical activity. Find out more about physical activity for arthritis pain management.

Physical Activity and Arthritis

CDC Research Highlights Need for Public Health Action to Address Inequities in Severe Joint Pain

CDC recently published a study in Arthritis Care and Research shedding light on racial and ethnic differences in arthritis, severe joint pain, and provider counseling about physical activity for arthritis management. This paper reflects CDC’s commitment to advancing research that helps us better understand and support people with arthritis across the U.S.

Here are some key findings: Severe joint pain is more common among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN, 39%), non-Hispanic Black (36%), and Hispanic (36%) adults with arthritis compared to White (23%) adults with arthritis. More than 40% of adults with arthritis do not receive counseling from their health care providers on the benefits of physical activity for arthritis management. The research offers several recommendations for public health action: Educate clinicians on the benefits of physical activity for adults with arthritis, highlighting in-person, self-directed, and online intervention programs and resources for arthritis management. Address social and environmental barriers that hinder people with arthritis from being physically active. Support evidence-based arthritis management and physical activity programs, including development of additional culturally relevant programs for AI/AN adults.

Review the research

Learn about arthritis interventions

NEW! Remain in the Game App

Athletic Coaches and Trainers: Sports injuries, like ACL injuries, can sideline a young athlete for months or even end a career. While creaky joints are not on young players’ minds, sports injuries can increase the risk for osteoarthritis later in life. Remain in the Game: A Joint Effort is an injury prevention training program designed to help coaches and athletic trainers educate and train athletes with exercises that increase their strength, balance, and flexibility to reduce sports injuries and improve performance. Get the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance’s NEW Remain in the Game Mobile App and keep your players in the game!

Download for Apple

Download for Android

NEW! Arthritis Infographic on 2021–2023 NHIS Data

According to 2021–2023 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 54 million people in the United States have arthritis. See the infographic below for other key findings. (Tip: Download the infographic for a clearer image.)

Download infographic

More Information

Healthy Living with Arthritis	CDC's Arthritis Site	Self-Care  for Arthritis	Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2nd Ed.)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd   Atlanta, GA 30329   1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)   TTY: 888-232-6348 Questions or Problems  |  Unsubscribe