Recent news stories say that arthritis causes serious impacts in the workplace. If you are a sufferer of arthritis you just want to say “Duh!”.

According to the most complete survey on the subject an average of 33% of workers with arthritis say the disease limits the amount or type of work they can do. This 2003 state-by-state study, reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that Kentucky had the highest rate of 51.3% and Nevada had the lowest at 25.1%. If you want to find your state’s rate you can see the report here.

The report also states that the economic impacts of work loss related to arthritis ranged from $79 million in Washington D.C. to $4.3 Billion in California.

The study reports that those most limited by their arthritis are in manufacturing, mining and farming. But I would suspect that people that are required to use their computer to earn a living would also be high in this arena. As one who has mild arthritis in the hands, I know that after a long period of banging on the keyboard my knuckles are quite stiff and sore.

So how about you? Does your arthritis impact the type or amount of work you are able to do? Has your employer provided any accommodations for your condition? I’d be interested in learning how arthritis affects your job and how you deal with it.