September is Pain Awareness Month

WARSAW, Ind., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ — According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), almost one in three African-Americans suffers from joint pain. Joint pain makes it difficult to exercise, which is desperately needed to help combat chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure that severely impact the African-American community.

   The statistics are alarming:   — One in four African-American women over 55 years of age has      diabetes(1).   — African-Americans have higher death rates for coronary heart disease      (CHD), coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke(2).   — The prevalence of high blood pressure among African-Americans is among      the highest in the world(3).   — There is an estimate that 80% of black women and 60% of black men are      overweight or obese (which contributes to heart disease, certain      cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes among other chronic health      conditions)(4).    

“Every warning from governmental and non-profit health organizations implores our community to ‘get moving’ because of the positive impact it has on combating these conditions,” explains Verona Brewton, Director of Minority Initiatives. “But we have failed to make the direct link between painful movement and poor health.”

The CDC reports that the knee is the joint that causes the most pain(5). Additionally, the CDC reported that African-Americans cite arthritis as the leading condition that limits their daily activities. Arthritis is the third most common problem among African-Americans(6), and arthritis-attributable work limitation disproportionately affects minority groups(7). In a May 2007 report, the CDC projected a nationwide surge in arthritis prevalence, which caused the Arthritis Foundation to warn Americans to take action now to limit future disability(8).

“There is a vicious cycle at play: African-Americans suffer from chronic conditions that require us to exercise. But we also disproportionately suffer from osteoarthritis and chronic pain in our knees and hips that prevent us from exercising,” explains Ms. Brewton.

Early intervention is key as there are a wide range of options to alleviating joint pain. The onset of knee or hip discomfort should not be dismissed as one of the natural signs of aging without discussing it with a primary care physician. There have been significant advancements in joint pain treatments. Today’s options offer non-surgical solutions which provide temporary pain relief and more permanent solutions such as joint replacement. Today’s advancements have progressed to address differences in gender. Women account for nearly two thirds of knee replacement procedures in the US(9).

Regaining mobility and being active is critical in helping to manage and defeat chronic health conditions. The health and social care costs related to chronic disease and pain management is on the rise:

   — Heart disease and stroke as well as diabetes account for 30.8% and      9.4% of national health expenditures, respectively(10).   — The economic cost of obesity in the United States is $117 billion      annually(11).   — The U.S. government projects that medication costs, the second largest      health expense after hospital bills will grow to 14.6 percent of      national health care spending by 2010. Many co-morbid medical      conditions and pain management are largely “controlled” by costly      prescription drugs(12).    

Restoring optimal mobility, eradicating daily pain and taking charge of our health are some of the most important ways that the African-American community can overcome these issues. Pain and poor mobility should not be accepted as a normal part of life. A primary care physician or joint specialist can provide advice and options to overcome painful movement.

Established in 2006, Zimmer, a worldwide leader in orthopaedics, created the Back in the Groove* Program to educate African-American communities about their options for treating joint pain, including joint replacement and the dramatic improvement in quality of life it can deliver. For more information on Zimmer’s Back in the Groove* Program, log onto http://www.backinthegroove.zimmer.com/ or call 1-866-923-2345.

   (1)  African Americans and Diabetes Facts — American Diabetes Association        website, http://www.diabetes.org/   (2)  African Americans and Cardiovascular Disease — American Heart        Association Statistical Fact Sheet 2007 update.   (3)  See reference above   (4)  Losing the War on Weight — Obesity Rates Growing For        African-Americans. Black Enterprise May 2007   (5)  New Report Finds Pain Affects Millions — Centers For Disease Control        (CDC) press release Nov. 15 2006   (6)  Self-help care in older African Americans with arthritis – Geriatric        Nursing — Volume 22 Issue 3 pg 135-138   (7)  US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease        Control and Prevention, Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence        and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis – US, 2002.   (8)  Arthritis Prevalence Limitations To Skyrocket — Arthritis Foundation        press release, May 3, 2007   (9)  US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease        Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.   (10) Addressing the Nation’s Leading Killers – At a Glance 2007, Division        for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. US Department of Health and        Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National        Center for Health Statistics.   (11) F as in Fat — Trust for America’s Health,        http://www.healthyamericans.org/; August 1, 2006   (12) On file with Zimmer  

Zimmer Back in the Groove

CONTACT: Brad Bishop of Zimmer, +1-574-372-4291,bradley.bishop@zimmer.com; Maisha Pearson of Burrell, +1-312-297-9714,mpearson@burrell.com, for Zimmer Back in the Groove

Web site: http://www.backinthegroove.zimmer.com/