Arthritis is a leading cause of disability, affecting one out of every six Americans.

Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease. It's a wear and tear process in which the cartilage that cushions the joints breaks down and allows the bones to rub against each other. This causes degeneration of the bone as well as pain and discomfort says Dr. Laura Rogers, associate professor of internal medicine at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. Dr. Rogers says two groups of individuals mostly likely to be affected by osteoarthritis are women who are over the age of 50 and African Americans. She explains other risk factors:

SOUND BITE: "Additional risk factors for developing osteoarthritis include obesity, having had a joint injury in the past, particpating in job activities that require bending and carrying, having a positive family history of osteoarthritis, being sedentary or physically inactive, and having muscle weakness in the muscles in the joint that develops arthritis."

Dr. Rogers says osteoarthritis most often affects the knees, hips and hands, but also can affect the shoulder and spine. Treatment includes medications to control the pain and discomfort or physical therapy. By strengthening the muscles around the joint, through physical therapy, patients can greatly reduce the pain and discomfort. She says there are other steps patients can take to reduce their risk of osteoarthritis:

SOUND BITE: "First, maintaining an ideal body weight. If you are overweight or obese, weight lof weight loss is essential to reduce your risk of osteoarthritis. Also main maintain an adequate physical activity level that allows you to maintain the muscle strength around joints such as the knee are important."

Anyone who suffers from joint pain should consult a primary care physician for evaluation and treatment and possible referral to a rheumatologist.