Top Five Myths About Arthritis Busted

Creatas Images/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — About 50 million Americans are living with some type of arthritis, but despite how common a condition it is, many people — even some who are diagnosed with it — hold beliefs about arthritis that experts say aren’t true.

Misconceptions about who’s most likely to develop arthritis and what foods sufferers should avoid are both common, along with several others.

Here are some of the long-held myths:

Only Old People Get Arthritis

“That is a really common one, and arthritis obviously doesn’t happen only to older people,” said Dr. Vivian Bykerk, assistant attending rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.  “It can happen to 1- and 2-year-olds, it can happen to 90-year-olds and to anyone in between.”

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65, and a recent study found that it affects nearly 1 in 250 children.

Certain Vegetables Can Make Arthritis Worse

Another common myth is that nightshade vegetables, which include potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes, can exacerbate arthritis symptoms.  The belief is that a chemical in these vegetables can cause too much calcium to build up in the body, damaging the joints.

But doctors say there’s not a lot of scientific evidence to back up that claim.

“It’s hard to study this relationship, but even though we don’t know for sure, it doesn’t look like clear evidence that these foods can make symptoms worse,” said Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine’s Thurston Arthritis Research Center in Chapel Hill.

There’s Not Much People Can Do to Treat Arthritis

While there is no cure for arthritis, there are many available options to alleviate symptoms so people can lead normal lives.  The type of therapy that will bring on the most relief depends on the type of arthritis a person has, because health care providers may approach each condition differently.

Bykerk said there are more than 130 different types of arthritis, so the first step toward improving quality of life is to see a specialist and identify what type of arthritis a person has to determine the best treatment options.

Cracking Knuckles Can Cause Arthritis

Many people crack their knuckles because it helps their joints feel less stiff, but they may have heard it’s a habit that could someday cause arthritis.

There actually have been studies that attempted to evaluate whether cracking knuckles increases the risk of developing arthritis.

“The studies didn’t show any link, so we can’t say there’s any association between the two,” said Jordan.

Exercise Is Bad for Arthritis Sufferers

It’s definitely false that exercise can be harmful for people arthritis, say the experts.

“People become immobilized and tend to be inactive because of the worry they’re going to hurt their joints,” said Jordan.

“It’s better to be active,” Bykerk said.  “Studies have clearly shown that people that do their best to go on with their daily lives do better than those who lie in bed.”

Avoiding activity can actually be harmful, she added, because it can lead to muscle loss.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio