An event which aims to extinguish the myths of Arthritis, a disorder that affects thousands of people in Manchester, has begun this week.
National Arthritis Week helps to improve awareness as well as raise funds for research through cake sales, challenges and sponsored walks.
More than ten million people in the UK, including more than 15,000 children, are affected by arthritis, yet more than 68% of the public are unaware that children under the age of ten can be affected.
An Arthritis Research UK spokesperson said: “We want to raise awareness about what it’s like living with arthritis or caring for someone affected and we need to raise vital funds for research that will make a difference.”
Sue Graham, 49, from Didsbury, who suffers from Arthritis said: “I was diagnosed when I was 42 and I couldn’t believe you could get arthritis before the age of 60.”
“There are many common misconceptions with arthritis and people need to be aware that you can get it at any age—even children.
“Although there is no direct cure yet, there are a lot of treatments that can help ease the pain and help you get on with everyday life.”
Arthritis is one of the biggest causes of pain and disability in the UK but the public are still not properly informed about the disease.
For example, 48% of the population of Great Britain believe or are unsure whether cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis.
Whereas research shows that it may be linked to ligament damage but it that there are no links to the habit causing arthritis.
“I hardly knew anything about arthritis and everything I thought I knew was wrong,” said Ms Graham.
“I was always told that cracking your knuckles led to arthritis but since being diagnosed I have learnt about the many misconceptions people associate with the disease.”
The National Arthritis week the aim is to combat myths such as only affecting the elderly, causes aches and pains, that there is not much you can do to improve the condition, that if you’ve got joint, back or neck pain you should avoid exercise or that arthritis is inevitable and there is not much you can do about it.
Picture courtesy of Borya via Flickr, with thanks.
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