Introduction to Arthritis

September is the national month for arthritis. Did you know that this condition is the most prevalent in Canada and one of the highest causes for long lasting invalidity in the country? More precisely, it’s one in every five person that must deal with it, which equals to around six million Canadians. 10% of those are younger than 65 years old.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis regroups more than 100 diseases that mainly affect articulations causing pain, stiffness, redness, swelling and a diminution in movement capability. There are two main categories:

Osteoarthritis::

  • The most spread form of arthritis
  • Comes from the body’s inability to repair damaged joint tissues from a pas injury or aging.
  • Provoke deterioration of cartilage (matter that covers the extremities of the bones) and make bones collide with one another.

Inflammatory arthritis:

  • Regroups all the other types of arthritis.
  • Comes from inflammation often due to a kind of autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.

Arthritis cannot be cured and its symptoms can vary from light to acute: chronic pain, fatigue, restricted mobility, bad mood, decreasing quality of life, etc. Most people suffering from it can still maintain an active and productive lifestyle if they follow a treatment plan, some require medicine, exercise, a lot of rest, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and sometimes surgical interventions.

Create a Workspace Adapted to Employees Affected by Arthritis

As an employer, you can create an accessible workspace for your employees who are suffering from this disease. You can help to reduce the impacts and increase productivity. This will allow you to retain your most experienced employees and will greatly benefit your organization.