Arthritis Causes Gretzky’s Pain

TORONTO —  For 20 years Wayne Gretzky occupied an honored seat among the gods of professional sport, but the 38-year-old Canadian hockey legend seemed all too human Tuesday as he faced a new battle, this time with arthritis.

Gretzky, who shattered almost every scoring record during a fabled career in the National Hockey League, retired from professional hockey in April to the regret of millions of admirers.

It was only recently that Gretzky, dubbed “The Great One” for his many feats of on-ice magic, learned the pain that emerged in the twilight of his career was likely caused by the degenerative joint disease.

“I was very surprised when my doctor said the occasional joint pain and stiffness caused by years of playing hockey could actually be the early signs of osteoarthritis,” the Brantford, Ontario, native said in a press release.

Gretzky, however, downplayed suggestions that the onset of osteoarthritis was the main factor in his decision to quit professional hockey.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a painful condition that results from wear and tear of the joints, causing cartilage to degenerate and bone to rub against bone.

The disease, which normally strikes adults in their mid-50s, afflicts about 25 million people in North America. It is the most common cause of long-term disability.

Gretzky, who acknowledged he was surprised that the disease could strike a man of his age, said he looked forward to his new role as the official spokesman for the Osteoarthritis Early Awareness Campaign in North America.

“There are ways of simplifying your life to make it much more enjoyable, so I’m part of this whole team to get out and kind of raise awareness,” Gretzky told the CTV television network in an interview from New York.

The project is backed by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson and the Toronto-based Arthritis Society.

Arthritis campaigners were clearly delighted that one of hockey’s storied ambassadors had decided to lend his voice and time in the battle against the debilitating disease.