ABSTRACT
Arthritis is often referred to as a single disease, but in reality it is an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, speci—cally joints where two or more bones meet. Arthritis is the major cause of disability that creates global chronic economic pain, at a cost to the economy of more than several trillion dollars each year in medical care and indirect costs such as loss of earnings and lost production. This can result in joint weakness, instability, and deformities that can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, driving a car, and preparing food.
