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• Posted January 23, 2026

Arthritis Impacting The U.S. Workforce, Researchers Say

Arthritis might be thought of as a problem for seniors and retirees, but a new study says the condition also dramatically impacts the American work force.

Nearly 40% of young and middle-aged Americans — nearly 10 million people — say arthritis limits their ability to work, according to findings published recently in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

And that’s not counting people 65 and older, some of whom remain in the workforce, researchers said.

“We didn’t include people 65 or older because of retirement, but with what we know about the economy and inflation, people are working longer,” researcher Daniel White, an associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware, said in a news release.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from federal health surveys conducted in 2019 and 2023. The surveys included questions related to arthritis and its impact on daily activities.

“Among respondents, 68% of people who had difficulty climbing stairs, walking or other mobility problems reported greater work limitations due to arthritis,” White said.

“We found that people with heart disease, stroke or cancer, as well as those reporting anxiety or depression, faced a significantly higher risk of such limitations,” he added.

By comparison, only 23% of people who rated their overall health as “excellent” reported these sorts of problems, researchers said.

Hispanic adults, veterans and people without a college education were more likely to experience arthritis challenges on the job, the study found.

“That points to more manual labor or to those working in trades suffering more from arthritis-attributable work limitations,” White said. “Whereas with veterans, it could be past combat-related injuries; they’re also at a higher risk for osteoarthritis from carrying heavy backpacks and gear.”

The numbers show little progress in the fight against arthritis, given that they were nearly the same in 2023 as they were in 2019, White said.

“It’s incredible that this one disease can be responsible for so much work disability or limitations year after year,” White said.

Part of the problem is that people are silently suffering rather than seeking treatment, he said.

“Arthritis is commonly misunderstood as a disease of aging that’s just something people have to deal with,” White explained. “But it’s incredibly treatable.”

Medication, at-home exercise programs and physical therapy can help people better manage their arthritis both at home and work, White said.

“Everyone needs to move,” he said. “People think walking will hurt them, but that’s not the case. You’ve got to find that sweet spot that promotes movement and gains control over the pain.”

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on self-care for arthritis.

SOURCE: University of Delaware, news release, Jan. 20, 2026