Prevalence of joint pain in Germany

Abstract

Joint symptoms and pain belong to the most common diseases worldwide that affect people in their usual activities and lead to loss of quality of life. 29.3% of women and 24.4% of men reported acute joint pain, which is defined as pain suffered during the past 24 hours. With age, these figures increase. Women report pain in 3.9 joints on average and men in 3.6. In both genders the joints most affected are the shoulders, knees and hips. Respondents suffering from joint pain significantly more often report medically diagnosed osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis than respondents who were free of pain.