Osteoarthritis: What Increases Your Risk

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What Increases Your Risk

Certain factors seem to increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis, including:^{3, 4}

• Aging, which does not cause osteoarthritis but is a factor in developing symptoms. Most people older than 65 years of age show X-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in the hands, knees, or spine. But not all people will have pain from osteoarthritis.
• Extra body weight, which is clearly associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Being overweight puts extra strain on the joints, particularly the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips, the knees, and the balls of the feet. Carrying more than healthy weight on your body may also alter the joint structure and increase the risk for osteoarthritis.
• A family history of osteoarthritis.
• Other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.
• Repeated minor injuries or a single injury to a joint, which may change the normal joint structure. Activities that put repeated stress on a joint include the repetitive squatting, kneeling, or heavy lifting common to some sports and jobs.
• Increased bone density, which may result in bones that are less able to absorb impacts and to protect cartilage from trauma. The opposite is also true—women with osteoporosis have a decreased risk of osteoarthritis.
• Decreased strength and a decrease in the sensations that tell you where your body is positioned in the space around you (proprioception). This can be seen in people who have nerve damage (neuropathy), sometimes due to diabetes or a vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.
• Estrogen deficiency in women, particularly after menopause.
• Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is necessary for healthy bone and may also be important for keeping cartilage healthy. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with faster progression of osteoarthritis.

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Last updated:	April 20, 2007
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman