Arthritis is a disease that causes damage in your joints. Joints are places in your body where two bones meet.
What is the main cause of arthritis?
What causes arthritis varies depending on which type you have:
- Osteoarthritis happens naturally as you age – a lifetime of using your joints can eventually wear down their cartilage cushioning.
- You may develop gout if you have too much uric acid in your blood (hyperuricemia).
- Your immune system can cause arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis) when it damages your joints by mistake.
- Certain viral infections (including COVID-19) can trigger viral arthritis.
- Sometimes, arthritis happens with no cause or trigger. Providers call this idiopathic arthritis.
Anyone can develop arthritis, but some factors may make you more likely to, including:
- Tobacco use: Smoking and using other tobacco products increases your risk.
- Family history: People whose biological family members have arthritis are more likely to develop it.
- Activity level: You might be more likely to have arthritis if you aren’t physically active regularly.
- Other health conditions: Having autoimmune diseases, obesity or any condition that affects your joints increases the chances you’ll develop arthritis.
Some people have a higher arthritis risk, including:
- People older than 50.
- Females.
- Athletes, especially those who play contact sports.
- People who have physically demanding jobs or do work that puts a lot of stress on their joints (standing, crouching, being on your hands and knees for a long time, etc.).
5 Natural Ways to Prevent Osteoarthritis
1. Avoid injuries
Suffering a joint injury when you’re an adolescent or young adult can set you up for osteoarthritis when you get older. To avoid joint injuries when exercising or playing sports, you should:
- Do warm-up exercises for a few minutes before engaging in any sport.
- Wear proper footwear that provides shock absorption and stability.
- Avoid running on asphalt and concrete.
- When jumping, land with both knees bent.
- Keep feet as flat as possible during stretches to avoid twisting knees.
- When doing knee bends, avoid bending past 90°.
- After engaging in vigorous sports, perform cool down exercises.
If you suffer a joint injury, seek proper medical treatment and take precautions to prevent further damage, such as using a brace to stabilise the affected joint.
2. Keep your muscles strong
There is a strong link between having weak thigh muscles and the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. Muscles help support your joints so having strong muscles will go a long way towards osteoarthritis prevention. Swimming and cycling are great examples of workouts that do not overload your joints.
If you already have osteoarthritis and worry about joint pain after exercise, ask your doctor or physiotherapist for tips to help you continue to stay active. They may recommend hot or cold application or even pain relievers.
Physiotherapists are the best exercise coach who will assess your condition and prescribe exercise appropriate to your level, and train them up with a step by step approach. It is important that you persevere with the right exercise regimen.
3. Manage your weight
Excess weight puts additional stress on your joints, particularly those that bear the body’s weight such as the knees, hips and joints of the feet. The load you put on your knee joints can be as much as four times your own body weight. If you’re overweight but free of osteoarthritis, losing weight can help prevent the disease. If you already have osteoarthritis, weight loss can help improve osteoarthritis symptoms.
4. Eat healthy
Although there is no specific diet that prevents osteoarthritis, eating a well-balanced diet can help maintain an ideal weight, which is beneficial for your joints. It’s always best to get your vitamin intake through diet instead of supplements. So far, there is no compelling evidence that omega-3 or any other supplements (including glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, etc.) or vitamins can prevent cartilage loss in long term.
5. Lessen strain on your joints
Refrain from putting continual stress on your joints, e.g. continually carrying heavy objects. To avoid injury during lifting, here’s what you should do:
- Before lifting, spread your feet apart to give your body a wide base of support.
- Stand close to the object you’re lifting, then squat down by bending at your knees.
- Look straight ahead while keeping your back straight and bring the object as close to your body as possible. Then slowly lift, using the muscles in your hips and knees.
- Squat to set the object down.
