Risk Factors

Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis

There are several factors linked to the development of Osteoarthritis according to The National Institute of Health (NIH) these are:

Age – By reaching 45 or older raises your risk of degenerative arthritis.

Women – For unclear reasons, about 16 million women have osteoarthritis, out of a total of 21 million Americans who suffer from the disease. And though more men than women develop it before age 45, after that, degenerative joint disease becomes far more common in women.

Heredity – Genetic factors account for at least 50% of osteoarthritis of the hands and hips, and a smaller percentage in the knees. Certain inherited conditions such as being born with defective cartilage or malformed joints can also contribute to degenerative arthritis.

Obesity – People who are more than 10 pounds overweight have a higher risk for osteoarthritis, especially in weight-bearing joints like the knees. Pressure on joints from the excess weight causes cartilage to break down faster than usual. Find out more about Obesity and Osteoarthritis.

Joint injuries – A severe injury in the past can damage cartilage and lead to quicker joint deterioration. Research has found that young adults with knee injuries have six times the risk of developing osteoarthritis by age 65 compared to adults without knee injuries. For those with hip injuries, the arthritis risk is three times greater. Click here for more on Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Cartilage-damaging diseases – Adding to the risk of degenerative joint disease are conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, hemochromatosis, Paget’s disease, gout, and pseudogout.

 

This page was last modified:
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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