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Mammals That Do Not Contract Arthritis

An estimated 50 million adult humans in the United States are reported to be experiencing some form of arthritis, with the number expected to reach 67 million by 2030. While it is a widespread condition that affects one in five adults as of 2011, arthritis is not exclusive to the human race. Many mammals, including aquatic ones that have their weight supported by water through their entire lifetimes, can experience arthritis.

  1. Osteoarthritis

    • The most common form, osteoarthritis, is still not fully understood, but widespread belief is that it is caused by wear and tear on joints combined with degeneration of the body's ability to repair damage as it ages. Even the simple act of standing in place, coupled with the pull of gravity, can cause friction on joints that can have an effect later in life when the cartilage between joints has worn down and bone rubs against bone.

    The Exceptions

    • Any species of animal with a skeleton is vulnerable to arthritis, especially as it ages, but there are two exceptions among mammals that stand out. The first are sloths, who spend the majority of their lifetimes hanging from trees and living on a diet of plant matter. Second, are the bats that roost while hanging from branches, cave ceilings and other appropriate nesting sites when they aren't taking to the wing in pursuit of food.

    The Reason

    • Although the reason why these two mammals seem immune to arthritis has not been fully studied, they do share one trait in common. Both species spend large amounts of time hanging upside down. As a result, their joints not only escape the typical wearing down that other creatures experience over an entire lifetime, but their bodies do not have to spend the same amount of time and effort in repairing damage and thus suffer less degeneration as a result.

    Implications

    • It is still currently unclear what this could mean for human sufferers of arthritis if these findings are confirmed through further study. It has been suggested that physical therapy could be adapted to address this new knowledge, with devices such as inversion tables and other similar instruments becoming more popular as an alternative to prescription-based solutions. Whether these approaches are effective or not also is an unknown factor, as it could take years, possibly decades of experimental therapy before results would begin to show.

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