Risk factors for arthritis can vary depending on the type, but in general, certain things may increase your risk. Genetics may play a role in the development of certain types of arthritis, so if your family members have arthritis, you're more likely to develop it. Women are more likely than men to develop many types of arthritis. Also, any kind of excessive stress or injury to the joints may increase the risk of developing arthritis, so people who are overweight or who play sports are often at a higher risk. Age also plays a role in the development of some types of arthritis, so being over the age of 40 may increase your risk.
Arthritis Causes & Risks
Risk factors for arthritis vary depending on the type, but in general, genetics and lifestyle are the dominant causes. Any kind of excessive stress or injury to the joints may increase your risk, affecting people who are overweight or who play sports. The risk for some types of arthritis increase with age. Women are more likely to have arthritis of the hands and knees, while men are more likely to have arthritis of the hips, knees and spine.
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See All 3 AnswersHigh heels can lead to arthritis by putting extra pressure on the knees and the hips, says Conan Parke, DPM, from MountainView Hospital. Watch this video to learn the importance of heel height.
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See All 3 AnswersMost arthritis is caused by use and the slow gradual compromise of the joint tissues due to chronic inflammation. This type of arthritis is termed osteoarthritis and generally occurs at an older age. There are other causes of arthirits including autoimmune arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthrits from infections, and gout arthritis to name a few that can happen earlier in a patient's life. -
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredArthritis is about 50% hereditary. Learn more about arthritis in this video with Dr. Oz.
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Alberta Scruggs , Nutrition & Dietetics, answeredSee All 3 AnswersEveryone is different and may / may not experience aggravation from the intake of a particluar food. However, studies indicate the following foods tend to trigger arthritis and fibromyalgia:
- Acidic ("nightshade") foods seem to trigger pain: Chocolate, tomato, potato, eggplant, peppers, red meat, sugar, carbonated drinks and drinks containing alcohol.
- Fried foods may aggravate pain and swelling.
- Caffeinated containing foods have the potential to increase the elimination of water that may be needed by your body to help flush away toxins and minimize episodes of swelling.
- Cow-milk products may trigger increased episodes of fatigue.
- Foods with added sugar tend to compromise the ability of your body to absorb essential vitamins and mineral.
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 2 Answers
Cracking your knuckles makes you sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies and never goes over well in church. While it's painful for everyone around you to hear, you're not doing any harm to your joints, bones, or muscles when you crack-unless it hurts when you crack them. It's just caused by the high-pressure suction of gas being expelled when your joints move apart. If it hurts when your knuckles or knees crack, you need to see your doctor to assess what kind of joint damage you may have.
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Not all patients get severe hip arthritis. Typically this is a degenerative disease of elderly individuals. Individuals who have had sports injuries to the hip while younger are at increased risk. Childhood hip deformities and conditions predispose individuals to later develop hip arthritis. Obesity has shown to be a significant risk factor for hip arthritis. Recent research also indicates that there is a genetic component to the degenerative wear of cartilage which might predispose some individuals to hip arthritis more so than others. -
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Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, MD , Internal Medicine, answered
Probably not. However, there are some important details that may change my answer:
- What type of arthritis runs in the family? There are more than 100 types, some of which are at least partly genetic.
- How old were the family members when they developed arthritis? The younger they were, the more likely that it's a condition that may be inherited.
- Has the distance running been associated with injuries? If so, this may increase the risk of arthritis (with or without a family history of arthritis).
Also, there are many variables that affect a person's risk of arthritis and the likelihood they would become a runner. For example, people who gain significant weight may be less likely to run regularly. And they are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knees and hips. As a result, non-runners might seem to be at higher risk of arthritis than runners even if the risk of arthritis is not directly related to running.
As far as I know, the impact of family history on long-term arthritis risk associated with competitive distance running has not been well studied. Research in the mid-1990s, however, did find that older runners had less disability related to arthritis than non-runners, even after accounting for a family history of arthritis.
In my view, a family history of arthritis is not a reason to avoid distance running. But, the details matter.Find out more about this book:
Harvard Medical School Arthritis: Keeping your joints healthy
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Dr. Grant Cooper, MD , Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, answered
In addition to the mechanical forces created by obesity, it may also contribute to arthritis through hormonal influences that are not yet clearly understood. Studies have found a strong link between obesity and arthritis of the hip and knee, with a weaker link between obesity and arthritis of the hand. Since the hand does not experience significantly increased mechanical pressures in obesity, and because it is not a significant weight-bearing joint, other factors may also be at work, such as hormonal differences. Estrogen levels are increased in obesity, in addition to other hormonal imbalances. -
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Dr. Christopher W. Hodgkins, MD , Orthopedic Surgery, answered on behalf of Baptist Health South FloridaIn arthritis of the midfoot, the joints of the midfoot can begin to wear out for a variety of reasons. If they are injured by a fall, a twist or a crush accident, progressive degeneration of the joints can begin. Sometimes an individual’s foot anatomy places more pressure on one portion of the foot, causing a joint to wear. In addition, small amounts of loosening of the joints or slight flattening of the foot can begin the degeneration toward arthritis.