Every time one of these myths is challenged, in a conversation, a social post, a workplace, a family gathering, it gets a little smaller. And every time someone finds out that arthritis affects a 37-year-old colleague, a 30,000-strong cohort of Australian children and teens, or a tradesman in his 20s, the conversation about what arthritis is, who it affects, and why it needs our attention takes a step forward.
Share these myths widely. Use them in your own words. Challenge them when you hear them. And if you can, support the research and advocacy that will eventually put them to rest for good.
MYTH | Arthritis is one disease.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 distinct conditions – from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis to psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout and lupus – each with its own causes, symptoms and treatment needs.
MYTH | Arthritis is a disease of old age.
Arthritis can strike at any age. More than 30,000 Australian children aged 0-24 live with juvenile arthritis today, rheumatoid arthritis most commonly presents between 30 and 50, and sporting injuries can trigger osteoarthritis in people in their 20s.
MYTH | If your parents had arthritis, you'll get it.
Genetics is one factor, but it isn’t destiny. Family history can increase your risk of some types of arthritis, but lifestyle, injury, environment and other factors all play a role, and developing arthritis is never guaranteed, even if it runs in your family.
MYTH | Exercise makes arthritis worse.
For most types of arthritis, the opposite is true. Appropriate, guided movement is one of the most effective ways to manage pain, maintain mobility and slow disease progression. Staying still is often what makes things worse.
MYTH | Arthritis is just sore joints.
Arthritis is pain, exhaustion and disability. It’s the second leading cause of early retirement due to ill-health in Australia. 52,000 Australians aged 15–64 are unable to work due to arthritis. Lost GDP due to arthritis-related early retirement is projected $9.4 billion by 2030.
MYTH | Only women get arthritis.
Arthritis affects men too, and some conditions, including gout and ankylosing spondylitis, are more common in men than women. Of the more than 7 million Australians living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, millions are men, and men are often under-diagnosed because of this very myth.
Arthritis research in Australia works out to roughly $6 per person affected, for a disease that costs our health system tens of billions of dollars each year. The gap between the scale of the problem and the resources we have to address it is one of the most consequential in Australian medical research.
MYTH | Arthritis is inevitable as you age.
It isn’t. While the risk of some types of arthritis rises with age, many cases are preventable, through healthy weight, regular movement, joint protection, and early treatment of injuries. And for those who do develop arthritis, early diagnosis and the right treatment can make an enormous difference.
MYTH | There's nothing you can do about arthritis.
Decades of research have transformed what’s possible. New classes of medicines can stop joint damage in its tracks, children with juvenile arthritis have options their parents never had, and Australian researchers are working on treatments that would have been unimaginable a generation ago.