India's star badminton player and former Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal has  revealed that she is suffering from severe arthritis, which is posing a threat to her sporting future.

Saina Nehwal struggles with arthritis: India's star badminton player and former Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal has revealed that she is suffering from severe arthritis, which is threatening her sporting future. Saina Nehwal, who is 34 years old, said that her training capacity has been greatly limited due to this disease, due to which she is considering retirement by the end of this year.

Saina Nehwal said, "My knees are very bad. I have severe arthritis. My cartilage has been damaged. It is very difficult to train for eight to nine hours. In such a situation, how will I challenge the best players in the world? I think I will have to accept this somewhere. Because two hours of training is not enough to play with good-level players and get the desired results."

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's immune system attacks its own tissue. There are many types of arthritis, but the most common types are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Why does arthritis occur?

There can be many causes of arthritis, including:

Aging: As you age, there is wear and tear on joints, which increases the risk of arthritis.

Genetic factors: Some people may be genetically more prone to arthritis.

History of injury: Injuries to joints can also increase the risk of arthritis.

Obesity: Obesity puts more pressure on the joints, which increases the risk of arthritis.

Autoimmune disorders: Some autoimmune disorders such as lupus or psoriasis can also cause arthritis.

Why arthritis at a young age?

There can be many reasons for a young player like Saina Nehwal to suffer from arthritis. Some of these reasons can be as follows:

Too much stress: Constant stress and pressure in playing a good level of sports can put more strain on the joints.

Poor diet: An unbalanced diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can affect the health of the joints.

Excessive exercise: Excessive exercise can also put pressure on the joints.

Symptoms of Arthritis

Pain and swelling in joints

Stiffness

in joints Redness and warmth in

joints Decreased mobility of joints

Fatigue

Sleep problems

There are many options available to treat arthritis

. These may include:

medications

exercise

physical therapy

surgery