Arthritis Foundation Commences Arthritis Awareness Month by Calling on Americans to Start Moving

ATLANTA, May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To commence National Arthritis Awareness Month in May, the Arthritis Foundation is calling on Americans to get moving.  As part of the Let's Move Together campaign, the Arthritis Foundation is hosting more than 200 Arthritis Walk events across the country. The events aim to spread the message about the health benefits of daily movement for the prevention and treatment of arthritis, and to raise funds to find a cure for the nation's leading cause of disability.

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"We often find that people with arthritis are fearful of physical activity because they think they will hurt themselves or it's too painful, but the condition and pain only gets worse when movement stops," says Dr. Patience H. White, Arthritis Foundation vice president of Public Health. "Moving just 30 minutes daily, even 10 to 15 minutes at a time, can ease joint pain, improve mobility and reduce fatigue often associated with arthritis," White added.

Those interested in participating in an Arthritis Walk can sign up at www.letsmovetogether.org where they will also receive access to several tools, including the Movement Tracker, a convenient place to log minutes spent moving, monthly newsletters to stay updated on exercise tips, and podcasts with walking, motivation and nutrition tips. The website also provides a patient community where people can talk about their experiences with arthritis and read uplifting stories and blog posts of others battling the disease by staying active.

According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 million adults in the United States have arthritis, making it the leading cause of disability. This statistic is growing at a rate of one million per year, and by 2030 an estimated 67 million Americans will have the disease.  But studies show that moderate physical activity can help symptoms and even prevent some types of arthritis from occurring.

"Research has routinely found that regular, low-impact physical activity offers a number of health benefits including arthritis treatment and prevention," says White. "The Let's Move Together campaign reminds people how important it is to move every day whether you have arthritis or not."

Join the Arthritis Foundation in its mission to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases. Learn more at www.letsmovetogether.org.

About Let's Move Together:

Let's Move Together is a nationwide movement led by the Arthritis Foundation that encourages people to move to prevent or treat arthritis. Moving just 30 minutes daily, even 10 to 15 minutes at a time, can ease joint pain, improve mobility and reduce fatigue often associated with arthritis. Daily movement also can improve the quality of life of the 50 million Americans living with arthritis. Let's Move Together is a call to action: commit to participate in the Arthritis Walk, the signature annual fundraising event of the Arthritis Foundation, and move daily for better health. Start moving today: visit www.letsmovetogether.org.

About the Arthritis Foundation

Striking one in every five adults and 300,000 children, arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability.  The Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) is committed to raising awareness and reducing the impact of this serious disease, which can severely damage joints and rob people of living life to its fullest.  The Foundation funds life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades; fights for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions who live with arthritis; and partners with families to provide empowering programs and information.

SOURCE Arthritis Foundation