How to Prevent Arthritis
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people age 70 and older have more than a 50% chance of having arthritis. The experts at Summit Orthopedics in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area explain how you can take steps to prevent arthritis, or, when that isn’t possible, ease its symptoms.
The first thing to know is that there is no certain way to prevent arthritis. While arthritis isn’t always inevitable, it is very common. It’s often associated with cartilage breakdown from years of standing, sitting, jumping and other common movements as we go through life.
While you may not be able to develop a foolproof strategy for preventing arthritis, you can take steps to lower your risk and minimize the damage done to your joints.
How Common Types of Arthritis Affect the Body
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It affects more than 32.5 million adults in the United States and develops as cartilage and joint tissues break down over time.
When someone has osteoarthritis, the cartilage in an affected joint degenerates, becoming less absorbent and breaking into small pieces. Those pieces of cartilage can end up in the lining of the joint. This is what causes arthritis pain, inflammation and swelling.
Other forms of arthritis cause similar damage to the joints, but do so in different ways. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is an autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system to mistakenly send antibodies to attack the joint lining.
Understanding Your Risk Factors
The risk factors for arthritis vary somewhat between different forms of the disease. Despite that, many common types of arthritis share some risk factors:
- Being overweight or obese
- Participating in activities that require repetitive motions
- Having joint injuries or injuries to surrounding ligaments, such as the anterior cruciate ligament
- Smoking
Most of these risk factors are “modifiable,” meaning they’re largely within your control. By losing weight or quitting smoking, you can lower your risk of developing arthritis.
Some factors, though, are beyond your control. Certain types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, have a genetic component. This means you have a greater chance to develop arthritis if you have a family history of the disease.
Prevent Arthritis From Taking Over
Preventing osteoarthritis from taking control of your life involves adopting a healthy lifestyle. If you’re working to lower your heart disease risk, you may have been told about good eating and exercise habits. Many of those same habits will help you protect your joints:
Maintain a healthy weight. A healthy weight looks different for every person. Talk with your primary care provider about what weight range you should target. If you need to lose weight, take steps to do so—and know that every pound you lose reduces stress and strain on joints such as your knees and hips.
Get moving. The CDC recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That’s less than 30 minutes each day of an activity such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, dancing or gardening. To protect your joints while you exercise, choose low impact activities. These are ones that still give you a good workout but impact your joints less. Exercise done in water, such as water aerobics and swimming, can be particularly joint-friendly.
Eat the rainbow. Fill your plate with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, many of which also contain anti-inflammatory properties. Berries, cherries and pineapple are three good additions to your diet. You can also get a dose of natural anti-inflammatories by eating at least two servings weekly of fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna. This type of fish is packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
Do what you can to avoid injury. Certain injuries can increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis. This includes damage to bones, cartilage and other components of your joints. It also includes injuries to surrounding ligaments, such as the ACL. To prevent joint injuries that may lead to arthritis later on, warm up before exercising, cool down after exercising, wear protective equipment and supportive shoes, and avoid repetitive motions.
Modify your movements. Consider adjusting your activities to protect your joints. This can include trading your run for a bike ride, a session on the elliptical trainer or a brisk walk, or you could take your run to the pool, which is friendlier to your joints. You may also want to look for ways to adapt movements associated with your work, as well as any other routine activities that put strain on your joints.
Build in strength training. If you’re looking for another low-impact physical activity to add to your workout routine, consider lifting weights. Activities where your body resists another force, which can be weights, resistance bands or your own bodyweight, help strengthen your muscles. This, in turn, takes pressure off your joints.
Your Providers: Partners in Prevention
Finally, if you’re experiencing joint pain that lingers for more than a couple days, check in with a medical provider. Your provider can determine whether you have arthritis already or if you’re at an increased risk and help you identify ways to protect your joints moving forward.
Trying to prevent arthritis or lessen its effects can feel challenging, but you don’t have to make drastic changes to your lifestyle and your everyday habits. Even small tweaks to the way you move your body—including how you feed it—can have a big impact when it comes to your joints.
Experiencing signs of arthritis and ready to find relief? Find an arthritis expert or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation.
