Arthritis is the leading cause of activity limitation, affecting one out of every three adults. Of the nearly 70 million adults in the U.S. who have arthritis, more than 7 million have significant functional limitations because of it.

In addition to causing disability in later life, arthritis is beginning to appear in many younger individuals with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, polio, and spina bifida. This is often associated with joint malalignment and "wear and tear" from variations in gait (ambulation) patterns that erode the cartilage between the bones.

Read the entire column at http://www.ncpad.org/188/1367/2003-12~Issue~~Arthritis~Can~Erode~Quality~of~Life~~
Exercise~and~Assistive~Aids~Can~Help.