What can you do to help prevent arthritis?

What causes arthritis?

Arthritis simply means inflammation and pain in one or more of your joints - the areas connecting two bones that allow you to move various parts of your body. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, each with their own root causes and contributing factors.

Can you prevent arthritis?

There is no sure way to prevent arthritis. However, you can lead a lifestyle that reduces your chances of developing the condition and delays the onset of certain types of arthritis.

Arthritis can't always be avoided, because some higher likelihoods are not modifiable - there isn't anything you can do about them. For example, you can't change your genetic profile:

• Women have a higher chance of developing the condition.

• Having a family history of the condition means you are more prone to getting it.

Healthy lifestyle habits

Arthritis prevention focuses on what you can control - the habits and behaviours in your day-to-day life that you can change to reduce your odds, or delay the onset, of this condition.

If you have healthy joints now, take good care of them and help protect against future pain and immobility by following these joint-friendly rules.

Maintain a healthy weight

Osteoarthritis (OA) generally develops in people over 50 years of age. However, obesity is the main preventable contributor to OA¹ that can cause people of younger age to experience the arthritis symptoms of joint pain and stiffness. This is because carrying excess body weight places extra pressure and stress on your joints. At the same time, an increase in fat cells promotes inflammation.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is a common treatment for types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Low-impact exercise limits wear and tear while helping to keep your joints strong, as well as the bones and muscles surrounding and supporting them.

Patient picks for Arthritis

Bones, joints and muscles

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of arthritis, and typically affects older adults. It causes pain and stiffness of affected joints. Osteoarthritis typically affects the knees, hips, hands and spine, although it can affect other joints too. Diagnosing osteoarthritis is based on typical symptoms and examination findings. Tests like X-rays and blood tests often aren't needed, but can sometimes be useful to look for other conditions. Osteoarthritis treatments include maintaining a healthy weight, exercise, pain-relieving medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and sometimes other treatments such as joint injections and surgery.

by Dr Doug McKechnie, MRCGP

Bones, joints and muscles

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation, pain, and swelling of joints. Persistent inflammation over time can damage affected joints. The severity can vary from mild to severe. Treatments include disease-modifying medicines to suppress inflammation, which can prevent or delay the progression of the disease, and medication to ease pain. The earlier treatment is started, the less joint damage is likely to occur. Surgery is needed in some cases if a joint becomes badly damaged.

by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP

Follow a healthy diet

The benefits of a healthy diet are almost endless, but one form of arthritis that diet plays a particularly important role in is gout. This condition is caused by an excess of uric acid in your bloodstream, and what you eat can contribute to this.

Food rich in purines - such as offal, game, and marmite - as well as sweetened foods and drinks can all produce a lot of uric acid. As a rule, eating a variation of the main food groups, getting most of your sugar from fruits, and limiting highly processed foods is a great way to protect your joints, general health, and prevent arthritis.

Quit smoking

Smoking is the most significant lifestyle change you can make to reduce your chance of developing RA². This is a form of arthritis that causes inflammation in your joints because your immune system mistakenly attacks your own healthy tissues. Smoking triggers inflammation and may also cause your body to make anti-CCP antibodies - a protein specific to the development of RA.

Limit alcohol

Alongside certain foods, alcohol can also raise your uric acid levels and trigger a gout attack. Alcohol stimulates the production of this chemical in your liver, and beer in particular contains large quantities of purines, contributing further to uric acid production. One study confirmed that regular beer drinkers had a greater likelihood of getting gout compared to those who drink equivalent amounts of wine and spirits³.

Protect against sports injuries

Although sports injuries are accidental, warming up before playing and wearing proper safety equipment - such as supportive footwear and knee pads - could help prevent arthritis caused by joint damage. One of the main causes of OA in people under 50 years is prior sports joint injuries such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and meniscus tears in the knee⁶.

Further reading

1. Kularni et al: Obesity and osteoarthritis.

2. Chang et al: Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Arthritis Foundation: Osteoarthritis.