Book excerpt: Osteoarthritis afflicts about 25 million people in the United States--two-thirds of all people over 65--and the numbers will only grow in the coming years as baby boomers age. Yet few who suffer from this disease know much about it--how to relieve the pain, what exercises might help lessen their suffering, how to cut down on visits to the doctor. In All About Osteoarthritis, two leading authorities on the disease--Nancy E. Lane and Daniel J. Wallace--join forces to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive discussion of osteoarthritis available, explaining what osteoarthritis is, how patients can help themselves, and how to find the best resources to manage the disorder. The authors offer information in a clear and accessible style, with detailed illustrations showing how key joints--knees, hips, fingers, backs, hands, and necks--degenerate. They take readers through the steps of diagnosis, how the body is affected, and ways to manage the disease. In user-friendly language, they describe all of the established treatment options, including new medications and their side effects, and help readers determine when surgery may be necessary. The authors also examine alternative treatments, clarifying which work, which may work, and which definitely do not. And they outline recent advances in the field and discuss where these breakthroughs may lead us. While osteoarthritis most acutely affects the elderly, it starts years before, and many people suffer the aches and pains of the condition well before old age. For aging baby boomers, much can be done before osteoarthritis becomes chronic and debilitating. This comprehensive guide will provide an excellent resource for patients and their families, caregivers, and medical professionals.