7 out of 10 women suffer FROM joint pain from the age of 35 ONWARDS

• 68% of the population over the age of 35 suffers from joint pain. This figure rises to 73% in the case of women.
• These are data from a study carried out by Vanir, a brand specialising in food supplements belonging to the American laboratory Opko Health, in collaboration with the Osteoarthritis Foundation International (OAFI).

68% of Spaniards aged  between 35 and 65 have had joint pain in the last year. By sex, it is the women who suffer the most (73%), a figure that is 10 points higher than the number of men who report having had this problem. Although half of the population suffers from mild pain, 40% reveal that they are unable to carry out certain physical activity or exercise normally for this reason.

This is reflected in a study on joint health carried out by Vanir, a brand specialised in food supplements belonging to the US laboratory Opko Health, in collaboration with the International Osteoarthritis Foundation (OAFI). It shows that 21% of the population’s quality of life is directly affected by joint pain. This situation increases with age: 10% of Spaniards over the age of 50 define their pain as severe, which means that they have serious difficulties in carrying out their daily lives because of severe pain in a joint.

So much so that 12% of women aged between 50 and 65 say that this ailment has led to them having to ask for help or hire services for household chores. In addition, nearly 30% of the population have had their working lives affected by joint pain and report lower performance at work. Specifically, 17% report having requested time off work or sick leave because of it: 23% of men and 13% of women.

“We are living longer and longer and, in this sense, the main key is to maintain a high quality of life over the years. We take it for granted that we can move and move around without any problems, but as soon as we start to have any difficulties, such as pain or stiffness in the joints, we start to lose quality of life,” says Elsa Genové, CEO of Vanir.

The knee joints are the most affected (52%), as this report shows. These are followed by those of the spine (mentioned by 4 out of 10 Spaniards) and those of the hands (25%). In the case of the latter, the figure rises to 37% in the case of women over 50, a figure 13 points higher than that of men in the same age group.

In particular, this type of pain is closely related to diseases such as osteoarthritis, a disease that, as the OAFI warns, affects more than 242 million people worldwide. “The symptoms of osteoarthritis are usually progressive and spread over time. In the first stage, pain associated with movement and the effort to which the joint is subjected appears, although in this first phase the pain ceases with rest. In the second stage, the worsening of the osteoarthritis makes the pain appear after rest and exercise, so that the discomfort is more continuous and practically constant,” says Josep Vergés, President of the Foundation.

About Vanir

Vanir is the brand specialising in food supplements belonging to the US laboratory Opko Health, a multinational biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company that bases its activity on the discovery, development and marketing of innovative products and technologies. Vanir’s objective is to market high-end self-care products aimed at improving people’s health and wellbeing, especially focused on joint and muscle health. Its product range consists of Vanit Fit (muscle toning and strength), Vanir Flex (prevention of joint wear and tear and improvement of mobility) and Vanir Go! (concentration). In addition, Vanir is a pioneering brand in its sector in direct sales to consumers through the online channel and all its products are manufactured in Spain in compliance with the highest quality standards.