Health info > Joints & Mobility
Arthritis
In New Zealand about 1 in 6 people have some form arthritis, including 1,000 children. Unfortunately, arthritis is still underestimated with many people reluctant to seek help, because they may have been told ‘it’s just arthritis’. However it doesn’t have to be that way. Arthritis can be extremely painful and debilitating, not to mention being the leading cause of disability in New Zealand. It can cause people to need time off work with sickness and illness.
Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis, which causes sudden attacks of pain in a joint, starting with the big toe or another part of the foot. Within a day there is severe pain and swelling of the joint and the skin over the joint may also become red and shiny. Other joints can be affected such as the knees, wrist, and fingers.
Sprains & Strains
The terms sprain and strain are often used interchangeably when discussing a painful injury to an area near a bone. However, they are different and are caused by different types of injury to different types of tissue.
Tennis & Golfer’s Elbow
Tennis elbow is a term used to describe what happens when you overuse your arm and the elbow joint in a way that causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow generally causes pain on the inside of the elbow. Both are caused by the tendons and muscles becoming strained by being used repetitively by sporting activities such as tennis and golf, as well as occupational causes such as gardening, cutting meat, plumbing and painting.