What Can I Do To Reduce My Risk Of Developing Osteoarthritis?

Dr. Guettler answers the question: 'How Do I Reduce My Osteoarthritis Risk?'

ByABC News
November 18, 2008, 11:32 AM

— -- Question: What can I do to reduce my risk of developing osteoarthritis?

Answer: Osteoarthritis -- also known wear-and-tear arthritis -- afflicts millions of Americans. There are a number of reasons why people develop osteoarthritis-- some we can control, and some we can't.

One reason we can't control is genetics. Another reason is joint structure. However, we can control our weight with the understanding that obesity is a major contributor to arthritis especially involving the hip, knee, and ankle.

Other issues that we can control are injury. It's known that aggressive impact loading or injury to a joint can set someone up for arthritis later on in life. Hence it's better if possible to do low impact aerobic activity because that's better for the joints.

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