Osteoarthritis Prevention

How Can Osteoarthritis be Prevented?

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability and loss of quality of life in North America. Thus preventing osteoarthritis is crucial for a health and productive society. Today Opinion Leaders of osteoarthritis evaluate osteoarthritis as an avoidable disease. They now regard it as an illness that, like cardiovascular diseases, develops in terms of risk factors, some of which are avoidable.

Preventing osteoarthritis should be analyzed twofold;

1. Primary prevention
2. Secondary prevention

Primary and secondary prevention should be emphasized in the management of patients with osteoarthritis. Preventing the unnecessary weight gain and keeping the health weight is crucial to prevent several diseases including osteoarthritis (other diseases includes; hypertension, heart failure, hyperlipidemia etc.. ) Thus maintaining appropriate body weight may be the single most important factor in preventing osteoarthritis from occurring in weight-bearing joints. A relationship has been shown between weight loss and a reduction in the risk of developing osteoarthritis. The role of exercise in the development of osteoarthritis has been difficult to ascertain or a variety of reasons. Results of studies have demonstrated radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in former athletes. In some of these studies, the symptoms were greater in the athletes than in the control subjects, while in other studies, the athletes were either asymptomatic or had symptoms similar to those of the control subjects.
However, results from case-control and long-term prospective studies of runners have demonstrated that distance running does not increase the risk for osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, it is clear that a history of significant injury, particularly of the knee or hip, is a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis.  A history of menisectomy is also considered a risk factor; therefore, sports that have a high risk for injury may lead to a greater risk for the development of osteoarthritis. High risk sports include collision sports and those with a high-loading or torsional impact. In general, mild-to-moderate activity is not likely to lead to osteoarthritis in normal joints. People with previous joint injury or surgery, or abnormal joint alignment, are likely to be at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis. Vitamin D intake may also affect osteoarthritis. Low dietary intake or serum levels of vitamin D are associated with increased rates of progression.

As a summary to prevent osteoarthritis pay attention to the below warnings:

• AVOID EXCESS WEIGHT GAIN
• MAKE REGULAR EXERCISES
• AVOID PHYSCISAL INACTIVITY
• TRY TO AVOID FROM JOINT STRESS AT WORK
• TRY TO AVOID FROM JOINT STRESS WHILE YOU MAKE HIGH INTENSITY SPORTS ( YOU MAY ALSO TRY TO AVOID HIGH INTENSITY SPORTS IF IT IS NOT YOUR PROFESSION)