Can I reduce my risk of arthritis as I age?
Arthritis causes joints such as your fingers, knees, and elbows to become inflamed. This leads to stiffness and pain. Your risk of some types of arthritis increases as you age. But there are some lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce your risk. Here I talk about ways to reduce your risk of arthritis as you get older.
What are the different types of arthritis?
In the UK around 10 million people have arthritis. There are many different types of arthritis, including the following.
- Osteoarthritis – this is the most common type of arthritis in the UK. Your joints, cartilage, bone, and surrounding tissue are damaged. This leads to pain and stiffness.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – this is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system attacks healthy tissues including your joints.
- Ankylosing spondylitis - this condition causes pain and stiffness in your lower back. It can also affect your hips, shoulders, feet, and tendons.
- Gout – this type of arthritis usually affects your big toe. It’s caused by having too much uric acid in your body.
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis- this is a type of arthritis that affects children.
At what age does arthritis start?
You can get arthritis at any age, but some forms of arthritis are more common in older people. For example:
- osteoarthritis usually affects people over the age of 45
- gout is more common in older adults
- rheumatoid arthritis is more common in people aged between 30 and 50
Getting older isn’t the only risk factor for arthritis. There are also other factors that can increase your risk, including obesity, and genetics.
False: The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, does get more likely as we get older, but it commonly starts in people from their 40s onwards.
Other types of arthritis affect people of different ages.
For example, the peak age of onset for rheumatoid arthritis is 30 to 50 years, but people of all ages can develop the disease, and some rare reforms only affect children and adolescents.
True, there are over 100 different types of arthritis.
The word arthritis means inflammation of joints, and this is what all types of arthritis have in common.
But they have different causes, different symptoms and treatments, and different types affect different joints.
Osteoarthritis is a form of degenerative arthritis where overusing a joint in the wrong way causes damage.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where the body's own immune system attacks different parts of the joint, causing inflammation and damage.
Gout, another form of arthritis, is caused by a buildup of crystals that get stuck in the joints and cause an inflammatory reaction.
True, there is no cure for arthritis as such, but there are treatments to manage and minimise symptoms.
Some people do find long term relief and are able to find a way to live free of symptoms altogether.
An example of this would be people who managed to get rid of symptoms of osteoarthritis by losing weight, which alleviates joints such as knees or hips.
For others, getting more active and getting stronger can give better support to weight bearing joints such as knees, hips and spine.
But this will be considered remission of symptoms with lifestyle measures rather than cure.
Some types of arthritis are temporary, for example, reactive arthritis, which is when the immune system overreacts to an infection.
Most commonly sexually transmitted infections or food poisoning, and it causes inflammation to joints.
If the episode is not severe enough to cause long term damage, then people can make a full recovery from this type.
False. There may be some types of exercise that can exacerbate symptoms.
An exercise may not always be possible if people are having a flare up or a bad joint day.
But over time and in the long run, the right types of exercise can and should be classed as part of the treatment for arthritis.
For people with osteoarthritis, low impact exercise like cycling, spinning and swimming has been shown to reduce pain and give back joint function for many, and some studies have actually shown patients choose to come off waiting lists for joint replacement surgery because they feel so much better.
For inflammatory forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid being regularly active can reduce joints stiffness and give relief, and it also helps importantly look after mental health.
False. It's true that the genes you inherit from your parents may contribute towards your risk of some forms of arthritis.
But genes are only a relatively small part of this. Other factors such as smoking, excess body weight, lack of physical activity, stress, and joint injuries can all contribute as well as your age and being female sex.
What can I do to prevent arthritis?
There are some risk factors for arthritis you can’t control, such as your age or genetics. But there’s lots you can do. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of arthritis.
Keeping a healthy weight
Being overweight or having obesity can increase your risk of osteoarthritis. Carrying extra weight puts a strain on your joints, particularly your knees, hips, and lower back. Obesity may also cause inflammation in joints leading to osteoarthritis.
Excess weight can increase uric acid in your body leading to gout. So try to lose weight if you need to. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise can help you stay a healthy weight.
Eating a healthy diet
Some foods can increase your risk of gout as they raise your levels of uric acid. Try to reduce or avoid the following foods to prevent gout flare ups.
- Sugary drinks
- Meat
- Seafood
Osteoarthritis might be linked to high cholesterol. To prevent high cholesterol, try eating less saturated fat. Eating more fibre can also help.
Vitamin D helps your bone and cartilage health. You can get vitamin D from sunlight and foods such as oily fish and egg yolks. During the winter months in the UK (October to March) you need to supplement Vitamin D, as there’s not enough sunlight during this time.
Vitamin K is also involved in making bone and cartilage. You can find vitamin K in foods such as:
- spinach
- eggs
- chicken
- broccoli
Cutting down on alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of gout. So if you do drink, stick to the daily recommended limits if you drink. Drinking less also has many other health benefits.
Reducing smoking
Smoking increases your risk of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other conditions. It’s best to try and cut down on smoking or stop altogether. See a GP if you need support in stopping smoking.
Physical activity
Regular exercise is good for your general health. Not doing enough exercise can increase risk of osteoarthritis. But, osteoarthritis can also be caused by sporting injuries . So try to make sure you exercise safely. A physiotherapist can help you find the right kind of exercise for you.
Work adjustments
Some types of work can affect your musculoskeletal health. For example, if your work involves bending and lifting, you’ll be using your knees a lot. Talk to your manager about any changes needed. They have a duty to protect your health. You may want to consider applying for an Access to Work grant. This scheme can help you get into, or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition.
Does arthritis ever go away?
There is no cure for arthritis, but treatments can help manage symptoms. It’s important that if you notice any pain or problems with your joints you see a doctor. They can advise you about treatments and lifestyles changes that may help.
Are you aged over 65 and wondering about your health and wellbeing? Bupa's Mature Health assessment gives an insight into your current health, as well future health risks for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. We also offer a year of ongoing support, with nurses on hand all day every day with our Anytime HealthLine to help you meet your health goals.
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Sources Sources
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