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The prevalence of gout – a form of arthritis characterised by severe pain, redness and joint tenderness has increased across the world at an alarming rate.

That’s according to Kolling Institute researcher Dr Emma Smith, who was the senior author of a research paper analysing the condition from 1990 to 2017.

The paper, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, found there were more than 41 million cases of gout in 2017, representing an increase of over five per cent from 1990.

Dr Smith said her analysis showed gout was more common in males and in older individuals, and generally higher in developed regions and countries.

“We also found high body mass index and impaired kidney function were risk factors for gout, and we expect the number of cases will continue to climb,” she said.

“The increasing trend of gout burden is likely to continue, with the global ageing population on the rise.

“Greater efforts are needed to reduce the burden of gout through early diagnosis and treatment, and better awareness of the risk factors.”

A global review has identified the jobs most likely to lead to knee osteoarthritis, prompting calls for greater measures to reduce the painful condition.

More than 70 studies, involving nearly a million people were analysed as part of the biggest review of the knee condition.

The international study brought together teams from the Universities of Sydney, Oxford and Southampton.

Researchers found construction workers, cleaners, miners, farmers and surprisingly stay-at-home parents were all more likely to develop osteoarthritis.

Professor David Hunter, from the Kolling’s Institute of Bone and Joint Research, said they also identified the activities which increased the risk of joint disease, like excessive kneeling, squatting, standing, lifting and climbing stairs.

“This large scale review was important to highlight the direct link between specific jobs and knee osteoarthritis, a leading cause of loss of work and disability worldwide.

“One in eight people currently have the condition, and that number is expected to jump by 50 per cent in the next 15 years.”

Lead author Dr Xia Wang, also from the Institute of Bone and Joint Research said knee osteoarthritis can lead to invasive surgery including total knee replacements.

“We hope this research will lead to additional measures to reduce the occupational hazards across a broad range of jobs,” she said.

“We also hope it will promote the steps individuals can take to reduce their risk, such as reducing their weight, improving the strength of the muscles around the joint, and reducing the load on the joint when working.”

New research has produced a surprising result, indicating high heel shoes may not be a problem for those with hip osteoarthritis.

The condition is a very common joint disorder, contributing to tremendous pain for many older people and significant disability.

Researchers from the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney adopted an innovative approach, and evaluated the link between wearing shoes with higher heels and hip pain in those with symptomatic hip osteoarthritis. They also investigated whether the length of time in high heels influenced the pain.

Florance and Cope Chair of Rheumatology Professor David Hunter said it had been difficult in the past to measure the symptoms of hip osteoarthritis, with hip pain fluctuating so greatly and traditional research methods not able to adequately measure short-term risk factors.

“Our research team adopted a new approach, using an internet-based study of participants with hip osteoarthritis, and recruiting more than 250 people for the study,” Professor Hunter said.

PhD student Dr Kai Fu, who helped drive the research project, said we found more than 54 per cent of people had experienced pain in the last 90 days, and those who had worn heels over 2.5 centimetres high in the last day had lower levels of pain.

“In fact, they were 50 per cent less likely to have experienced pain,” he said.

“Perhaps surprisingly, those who had worn heels for more than six hours the previous day also reported lower levels of pain. This group was 70 per cent less likely to have had pain.

“These results suggest that heels up to 5 centimetres could be worn without increasing the risk of hip pain.

“The findings challenge long-held views that high heels exacerbate all musculoskeletal complaints, but we would like to see further research to clearly determine the ideal heel height before more definitive conclusions can be drawn.”