motorcycle 101 guides

Can a Motorcycle Collision Cause Arthritis?

Can a Motorcycle Collision Cause Arthritis?

Even a simple motorcycle collision or crash can cause you injuries and pain due to internal damage to the bone or muscle. Any such damage may not be visible from the outside but can add to your suffering. Most riders, right after a motorcycle crash, look for scratches, bruises, or any external injury on their bodies. They usually do not check for psychological harm or any internal damage to their bones and joints. Sometimes, after experiencing a motorcycle accident, the physical injuries can lead to post-traumatic arthritis. The rider may not be able to identify arthritis due to trauma immediately after a motorcycle accident, but it can develop over time. Read this article to learn in detail if a motorcycle collision can cause arthritis.

1. What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is not directly related to physical injuries and pain as it is a degenerative disease associated with aging and immune system disorders, often transmitted through genes When the immune system of an individual fails to function properly, it damages certain tissues and joints, causing inflammation and swelling. Arthritis can occur in several joints and tissues. However, the most common symptoms of arthritis include joint stiffness and pain. It can be transmitted to an individual through genes.

2. Types of Arthritis

2.1 Osteoarthritis

There are mainly two types of arthritis depending on their cause. If the arthritis develops naturally due to aging and wearing out of cartilage from excessive and abnormal use of joints, it is known as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is most common in older people.

2.2 Post-Traumatic Arthritis

Meanwhile, if the damage to the tissues and cartilage is due to a bone fracture or an internal injury resulting from a motorcycle accident, it is known as post-traumatic arthritis. Post-traumatic arthritis is most common in young people and children. If you are suffering from post-traumatic arthritis, you will not be able to move your joints, walk properly, and ride your motorcycle. Post-traumatic arthritis can affect the most common joints in your body, including elbows, knees, hips, and ankles.

3. What Causes Swelling and Pain in a Patient Suffering from Arthritis?

Arthritis is a form of bone or joint disease that causes the cartilage to wear out over time due to excessive use and lack of nutrition, particularly calcium. The cartilage is present in the joint, and it helps two bones to slide against each other smoothly without causing friction. However, when the cartilage wears out, the connected bones start sliding against each other harshly, resulting in inflammation and swelling of the joint. If someone is suffering from arthritis and has swollen joints, it causes pain and extreme distress, especially when moving the inflamed joint.

4. Can a Motorcycle Collision Cause Arthritis?

It is not very common to suffer from arthritis as a result of physical injuries from a motorcycle crash because it is usually considered an auto-immune disease. However, there are cases of riders and drivers suffering from arthritis after being physically injured in an accident.

4.1 How Does a Motorcycle Collision Cause Arthritis?

Motorcycle accidents can lead to joint dislocations, a condition where the cartilage slips from its original place, resulting in friction between the connected bones within the joint, causing post-traumatic arthritis. Any bone-related injuries, including bone fractures, as a result of a motorcycle collision, can result in post-traumatic arthritis.

4.2 What Are the Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Arthritis?

Several symptoms of post-traumatic arthritis can start to show in a victim of a motorcycle collision, including pain, swelling, and joint stiffness. If you experience tenderness and fluid accumulation in the joint region, make sure you consult your doctor without delay, as you may be suffering from post-traumatic arthritis.

4.3 Can I Get Compensation Based on Arthritis Resulting from a Motorcycle Accident?

If you are diagnosed with post-traumatic arthritis or your arthritis has become worse after suffering from a motorcycle accident, you can file an accident claim to get reimbursed. However, make sure that you have a complete record of medical reports, diagnosis of post-traumatic arthritis, and the treatment and medical help received to prove your claim. The claimant would also need to prove that he/she was not the one who was at fault when the accident occurred.

5. What Are the Main Causes of Post-Traumatic Arthritis?

Other than a motorcycle and car accidents, post-traumatic arthritis can be caused due to falling from a height. Sometimes, it does not matter the height you fall from, it is the angle at which you hit the ground which causes bone fracture and post-traumatic arthritis. It can also be caused due to injuries resulting from sports and other activities.


Riding heavyweight motorcycles, including sports bikes and touring bikes with little to no experience in riding a motorcycle can also result in motorcycle accidents and severe bone injuries.

6. How Can You Treat and Manage Post-Traumatic Arthritis?

There are several ways through which you can treat and manage post-traumatic arthritis. Using the below methods can help you manage the pain caused by post-traumatic arthritis, but you may not be able to fully recover from this disease.

6.1 Consult a Physiotherapist

If you are suffering from pains related to bones and joints, you must consider consulting a physiotherapist on a priority basis before you start exercising. There are specialized exercises to manage post-traumatic arthritis depending on a particular case and the damage done to the cartilage.

6.2 Swimming

Swimming is a good exercise when it comes to managing and treating post-traumatic arthritis because it does not put extra pressure on your joints and helps improve your flexibility.

6.3 Wearing Joint Braces

There are several types of joint braces, including hard and soft ones, that you can wear to keep the joint fixed in a position and to avoid friction between the connecting bones.

7. Takeaway

Arthritis is one of the most common bone diseases, found mostly in older people. It is caused by excessive wear of the cartilage present between two bones in a joint which helps in movement over time. However, in certain cases, arthritis can also be caused due to injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident, including bone fracture and joint dislocation. Therefore, Arthritis that did not develop naturally due to aging and abnormal use of joints is known as post-traumatic arthritis. Make sure to consult your doctor if you suffer from any of the symptoms of post-traumatic arthritis. You can also get compensated if you develop post-traumatic arthritis after getting involved in a motorcycle accident. However, you must keep the medical record safe to prove you are suffering from this disease.


To avoid scratches and injuries due to being involved in a motorcycle collision, always wear appropriate riding gear, including a DOT-approved helmet, leather jacket, pants, gloves, and motorcycle boots. If you are already suffering from arthritis, you can also wear knee and elbow pads while riding to protect your joints.

Motorcycles are an enjoyable mode of transport and must be ridden carefully to ensure a safe riding experience. If you are willing to invest a little in your motorcycle to improve its safety, performance, and comfort, Viking Bags offer a variety of modification parts and luggage bag options, including crash bars, fairings, sissy bars, backrests, saddlebags, and tank bags.

Reading next

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bagger Motorcycles
Motorcycle Baggers vs Bobbers - A Comprehensive Comparison

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.