subject: Arthritis Can Affect Young And Elderly [print this page] Arthritis is commonly thought to affect old people, making it more difficult for them to manoeuvre around homes, and therefore making it increasable more difficult for them to go on living without assistance. However, it is untrue for arthritis to only strike in the elderly. Arthritis can be contracted at any time in a persons life, with some people being affected at only a few years of age in truly extreme cases. The causes of arthritis are in many ways, largely unknown. Theories include genetic factors such as inheriting a tendency towards arthritis. Arthritis often occurs following a sports injury, an accident or repeated trauma to a joint.
Whilst genetics can play a part in your contraction of arthritis, there is no real proof to support this theory. However, you are more likely to contract any problems if your parents or someone within your family has had them before. Although, most forms of arthritis are not genetic in origin. That means that you are not likely to develop them as a result of a gene passed down in your family. There are many different reasons you could develop arthritis, a family member having it can increase your risks but it does not guarantee your contraction of the ailment.
One large reason for arthritis affecting old people is most elderly are more likely to contract the ailment, thanks to a lifetime of constantly using their joints. It can come to people whom are simply too active within a period of their lives, and it finally catches up with them. Which means some elderly can contract it later on in life than other elderly, yet they are more susceptible to it simply due to the wear and tear their bones have taken throughout the years they have been alive.
Thinking about it, we put a great deal of pressure and stress on our bodies. Throughout the years, people do many things, even if someone simply walks stairs each day of their life; all movement eventually culminates in to one large thing. Even something simple such as walking exerts a certain amount of force on the joints which accumulates over the years. Meaning, at a certain point in life, all these stresses and strains are likely to affect us. Plus bodies are much more resilient in younger people. It bounces back from illnesses or injuries quicker and usually without any long term effects. Strength comes naturally for some young people, thanks to their bodies having not had to withstand the test of time yet.
There is also the fact that we tend to lose bone density as we age which increases the risk of fractures and conditions such as this. But there are a few types of arthritis which develop in young people. For example there is a version known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis which only occurs in children and teenagers. For some, it can mean a lot of problems from being just a child or a teen. There are ways in order to get around, and adapt to such an ailment however, and there are many support groups and forums available to be found in order to cope with such a disorder.
