WORLD ARTHRITIS DAY (12 OCTOBER

    WORLD ARTHRITIS DAY (12 OCTOBER

Every year the 12th of October is observed as the World Arthritis Day and this year it is themed around “Move to improve” It was not very long ago that the Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) began to celebrate this day and over the years, several countries have joined in its observance.

On this day, people who suffer from rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases world over come together to create awareness and share their stories. This apart, World Arthritis Day is an ideal occasion for organizations and individuals to raise awareness about issues related to the disease, amongst the medical fraternity, decision-makers as well as the general public. Yet another significant reason to observe the day is to esure better care and assistance and to also mobilize an accessible support and guidance system during the course of their treatment

An estimated 50 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.An estimated 1.5 million adults had rheumatoid arthritis in 2007.An estimated 294,000 children under age 18 have some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition; this represents approximately 1 in every 250 children in the U.S.Among adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, many report significant limitations in vital activities such as:

• walking 1/4 mile—6 million

• stooping/bending/kneeling—8 million

• climbing stairs—5 million

• social activities such as church and family gatherings—2 million

There were 44 million ambulatory care visits with a primary diagnosis of arthritis or other rheumatic conditions in 2004, or nearly 5% of all ambulatory care visits that year. Overall, there were 66 million ambulatory care visits with a primary or secondary diagnosis of arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. Arthritis is strongly associated with major depression (attributable risk of 18.1%), probably through its role in creating functional limitation.

In observance of World Arthritis Day, the Arthritis Foundation is calling on all Americans to "Do Blue" on Tuesday, October 12. By dressing head to toe in blue--from blue do's to blue shoes--America joins in the celebration to make it truly a worldwide effort. Even some of our national landmarks and monuments will be dressed in blue (lights, that is).Our “Do Blue” campaign aims at raising awareness of arthritis in all its forms and urging the nation and individuals to take action to reduce the impact of our most common cause of disability.The Arthritis Foundation is coordinating several exciting events to celebrate here in the United States:

World Arthritis Day is held each year on 12 October and is dedicated to raising awareness of diseases affecting the joints, muscles and skeleton, influencing public policy and ensuring all people with these diseases and their caregivers are aware of the vast support network available to them. In 2011, the day's theme is 'move to improve’. The Agency plays an important role in the authorisation of medicines to treat these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammation of the joints caused by the immune system attacking healthy tissue.

In the European Union (EU) all medicines for rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues must be authorised via the Agency, rather than in each Member State individually. To date, 18 medicines for patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been authorised on the recommendation of the Agency. The Agency also organizes regular events and meetings, many of which cover issues related to arthritis, as well as providing guidance for companies developing medicines for the treatment and diagnosis of these conditions.

Arthritis is a medical condition where there is an inflammation at a bone joint, though there are many varieties of arthritis, with some some being caused by pus forming bacteria. This World Arthritis Day, the emphasis is on rheumatoid diseases and arthritis caused by degeneration.

In 2003, the European League Against Rheumatism, in collaboration with worldwide organizations representing persons with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, created World Arthritis Day. This observance aims to increase awareness of arthritis and to influence policies that can reduce the burden of arthritis.

The theme of this year's World Arthritis Day (October 12, 2011) is Move to Improve. Physical activity is a key self-management strategy for persons with arthritis and is proven to reduce pain and improve function and quality of life (1,2). The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (3) recommends that adults, including those with arthritis, engage in 150 minutes or more per week of at least moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity and do muscle-strengthening exercises at least 2 days per week. Adults with arthritis who cannot meet these recommendations are encouraged to do what physical activity they can, because some is better than none.
                                                                                  Prof. John Kurakar