6 Tips for Osteoarthritis Prevention

From: about.com

Modifying Certain Risk Factors Is Important for Osteoarthritis Prevention
By Carol & Richard Eustice, About.com
Updated June 23, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
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Osteoarthritis Is Disabling
More than 21 million Americans have osteoarthritis and as baby boomers age, the number will start to soar. Osteoarthritis is among the most common causes of disability in adults. By age 40, 90% of people have some level of osteoarthritis in their weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, feet, back) but they may remain asymptomatic (without symptoms) until they are older. There is x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in 70% of people age 70 and older.

Clearly, osteoarthritis is a significant medical condition. Can it be prevented? If osteoarthritis prevention were possible, people would likely pay attention to what they needed to do -- or would they? Perhaps it's not so simple, but as the saying goes "nothing good comes easy."
Recommendations for Osteoarthritis Prevention

A lot has been written about osteoarthritis prevention. It boils down to modifying risk factors for the disease by adjusting certain aspects of your lifestyle.
Osteoarthritis Risk Factors
There are 6 basic recommendations for osteoarthritis prevention. Think about each one and ask yourself if you are doing what you should be doing.
1 - Maintain Your Ideal Body Weight
It has been estimated that the force of 3 to 6 times a person's body weight is exerted across the knee while walking. In other words, being 10 pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 30 to 60 pounds with each step taken while walking. The force across the hip is, at most, 3 times body weight. Losing weight reduces stress on your joints.
Overweight: A Risk Factor for Osteoarthritis
Weight Loss Is Important for People With Arthritis

2 - Exercise Regularly and Participate in Regular Physical Activity
For optimal joint health, it's recommended that people perform 30 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise at least 5 days a week. It's an established fact that regular exercise has health benefits. Lower levels of exercise can also be beneficial, according to study results. It's better to get some exercise as opposed to no exercise.
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3 - Protect Your Joints
There are several joint protection principles, which if followed, will help to conserve energy and preserve joint function. The advice is quite simple, but you must be mindful of proper movements and recognize body signals (e.g., pain). Good posture and proper body mechanics are important because protecting your joints is a factor in osteoarthritis prevention.
Joint Protection Advice for People With Arthritis
Test Yourself - Do You Use Joint Protection Techniques?

4 - Avoid Repetitive Stress on the Joints
Signs of repetitive stress include too many uninterrupted repetitions of an activity or motion, unnatural or awkward motions, overexertion, incorrect posture, and muscle fatigue. These symptoms usually are associated with your occupation. Try to find solutions at your workplace and avoid prolonged periods of repetitive stress.
What Are Repetitive Stress Injuries?
Workplace Stress - Solutions for People With Osteoarthritis

5 - Listen to Your Pain
This recommendation seems so obvious, yet people don't always do it. Learning to view pain as a signal that you are overdoing it and that it's time to rest requires conscious effort. Balancing rest and activity is optimal for healthy joints. It's part of self-management to learn not to overuse your joints and to learn not to push past your limits. Consider that the pain is like a stop sign.
10 Ways to Increase Your Pain
Living and Coping With Osteoarthritis

6 - Avoid Injury to Joints
Previous joint injury is recognized as a common cause of osteoarthritis. In joints burdened by improper alignment due to injury, articular cartilage wears away and osteoarthritis can begin to develop. Avoid injury if at all possible -- and if you do injure a joint, seek treatment immediately.
Football and Osteoarthritis
Sports Injury Guide - Knee Injuries
Sources:Osteoarthritis: What Causes It? Arthritis Foundation.http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=32&df=causesStrategies for the Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee. Best Practice and Research - Clinical Rheumatology. February 2007.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17350544Strategies for the Prevention of Osteoarthritis. International Journal of Tissue Reactions. Dieppe. P. et al. 1993.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8188450
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Does Aging Cause Osteoarthritis?
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What Causes Osteoarthritis Pain in a Joint?
Overweight: A Risk Factor for Osteoarthritis
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Diet and Osteoarthritis Prevention
Joint Pain Is Primary Symptom of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis Quiz - True or False?
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