Many arthritis patients are inactive

The number of people who report no leisure-time activity has held steady over the course of the last decade, but individuals who buy Celebrex to treat osteoarthritis may be keeping rates of inactivity high, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report states that 31 percent of the population reported being totally inactive in their free time in the 1980s. This number dropped to 25 percent by 2002, but has remained constant since that time. The authors of the report state that rising arthritis rates may account for why the number of inactive individuals has not continued to fall.

Upwards of 50 million adults in the U.S. currently suffer from some type of arthritic condition. Many of these individuals experience limitations on how physically active they can be. The report pointed out that 31.8 percent of individuals with arthritis are completely inactive in their leisure time. Comparatively, only 20.7 percent of those without arthritis are inactive.

The findings underscore a major problem among individuals who buy Celebrex to treat arthritis. While joint pain may make exercise very difficult, regular physical activity is considered a key element of keeping joints healthy. Doctors often recommend that arthritis patients increase their activity levels.