Arthritis UK is the leading arthritis charity, changing lives through research, campaigning and support.
Support usThe word 'arthritis' is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints. Arthritis isn’t a single condition and there are several different types. It can affect people of all ages – even children.
What is arthritis?When you've been diagnosed with arthritis, you can feel lost and alone. You may have been waiting for months or years for answers. We'll guide you through your next steps with trusted information and sound advice.
Guide to diagnosisLiving with arthritis can be challenging and we understand what you're going through. We bring you the information, help and support you need to stay healthy, manage your condition, keep active, stay well at home and cope with your work and money.
Living with arthritis
Methotrexate is a type of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) often prescribed for treating arthritis. It’s used to reduce activity of the immune system in people who have certain types of arthritis and related conditions.
Keeping to a healthy weight is important for your general health, but it can also benefit you if you are living with arthritis. Being overweight can put more strain on your joints and increase inflammation, which could cause you more pain.
The Arthur Tut TikTok dance challenge features moves that help manage arthritis by encouraging a full range of motion and a healthy dose of attitude. Why not have a go?
You may already be familiar with the deep fatigue arthritis can bring, and know, like Christie, the toll it can take on your life, or the lives of those you love. We’ve made great progress in finding effective treatments that ease pain and improve mobility. But for fatigue, no such treatments exist – yet.
A gift from you today could help fund future research and transform our understanding of fatigue.
Between slippery paths and stiff joints, we know that winter can be a tough time if you’re living with arthritis. Some people living with arthritis report that their symptoms, such as stiffness and joint pain, get worse in winter.
Here are a few tips to help you stay warm and healthy during the winter months.
Finding the gym was ‘life-changing’ for Isaac, building his strength and mobility. It inspired his career as a personal trainer and he now helps other people living with arthritis build regular exercise into their routine.
Researchers have found that eating more fruit and vegetables and eating red meat less often reduces your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Plus, a diet high in processed meats and low in fibre makes our immune system age more quickly.
Read the full storyA quick, accurate diagnosis is essential for people with arthritis - and so are personalised treatments that tackle arthritis before it does too much damage to the joints. That’s why we fund research that focuses on these priority areas.
Read the full storyWhatever form of arthritis you are managing, flare-ups can be debilitating and difficult to deal with. Joint pain, swelling, fatigue and stiffness may strike suddenly and without any apparent trigger.
Read the news storyWhen people with arthritis experience pain, it can feel instinctive to rest. However, this may not always be the best approach. Evidence-based exercise programmes, like ESCAPE-Pain tell us why.
Read the news storyChronic pain affects all aspects of our lives, including our mental health. We funded the De-Stress project to learn more about how we might tackle pain-related distress and explore our findings.
Read the news story
Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis presents a powerful snapshot of the reality of living with arthritis told through lived experiences and personal stories. It covers experiences of diagnosis, treatment, management and support, along with the personal and financial cost.
Examine the report's findings and our policy recommendations.
Stress can worsen autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. In conditions like these, the immune system, the body's natural defence system, is out of balance and can attack your joints, spine, and sometimes other organs too. Find out how.
Created specially for people living with arthritis, every edition of Inspire magazine is packed with expert, in-depth articles and features, covering what matters most to you — all for just £3 a month.