World Arthritis Day: Why a young British rugby player in the UAE was forced to retire

World Arthritis Day: Why a young British rugby player in the UAE was forced to retire

Dubai: In January, Dale Rooney, 30, a ‘Dubai 7s’ rugby player and a physical education teacher in the UAE, had the shock of his life. The back pain that had been nagging him for six years was diagnosed as Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine. “In all honesty, I had never heard of this disease,” the British expat, who was then forced to retire from his favourite game, told Gulf News. Speaking in view of the World Arthritis Day observed on October 12, Rooney shared how his story could be an eye-opening case of arthritis. “My pain in my back started about age 24. The back would completely seize up and the tightness in my muscles in general would be from probably before then, but I didn’t really take notice or I made excuses,” he said. “I did a lot of excusing myself while carrying on playing sports,” said Rooney, who did not think it was possible that someone as active as him and at his young age could have arthritis. Due to the quick testing ability in the UAE, he said he was able to get a blood