The degenerative joint disease osteoarthritis affects 15% of the global population over age 30, so by 2050 that could be nearly 1 billion people, researchers say.

Living longer and obesity are both major contributors.

"With the key drivers of people living longer and a growing world population, we need to anticipate stress on health systems in most countries,"said study author

Olympic athletes aren't like the rest of the population -- but this time it's in a far less positive way.

Two new studies show that athletes who performed at the top of their sport have a higher risk of developing arthritis and joint pain in later life. The linked studies found that 1 in 4 former Olympians dealt with these issues.

Those who'd been injured during their sporting caree...

Osteoarthritis has become increasingly common in recent decades, and authors of a new study say preventive steps are needed to bring numbers under control.

"The disease burden ... is formidable," said co-senior author Dr. Jianhao Lin, of Peking University People's Hospital in China. "Due to population expansion, agi...