You may be wondering if you are at risk for arthritis. This is meant to be a guide to see if you should be extra careful and
possibly need to see a doctor to treat your arthritis. Since arthritis effects nearly 70 million people within the United
States it is a major problem and costs health care companies billions of dollars each year.
One of the major factors if you should be cautious of arthritis is your age. While it is not true all senior citizens get
arthritis, it is a lot more prevalent in older adults. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in adults
over the age of 18.
Another major factor characteristic of arthritis is that it is much more common in women. However, before age 45 men seem
to get I more, while women over 45 are more likely to get it. In general, however, women are much more likely to get a form
of arthritis.
Since arthritis effects your joints, extra stress can cause inflammation and further aggravate or lead to arthritis. Extra
stress is usually caused on joints that bear a lot of your weight such as your knees. Therefore, keeping yourself at a
healthy weight will help minimize the risk your joints have abnormally high pressure.
Lastly, another big factor is how active you are. People involved in contact sports may have a great chance of acquiring
arthritis. Exercising on a regular basis can help your joints stay in shape and healthy in the long run. Those with jobs
that require heavy lifting or constant bending may also have a greater tendency of getting arthritis.
As you can see there are a lot of things you can do to help reduce your chances of getting arthritis. However, even minimize
your risk does not mean you are 100% safe from this disease. If you feel that you may be susceptible or are displaying
symptoms of arthritis you should consult a physician immediately. If caught early enough, most arthritis can be stopped from
spreading and pain kept at a minimum.
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