Is it possible to prevent arthritis

Try adding regular servings of broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms to your diet. Leave the vegetable or corn oil in the pantry and instead use olive oil and canola oil. They both contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Regular exercise is one of the most important strategies to try to prevent arthritis. Exercise can help keep your weight down, which reduces stress on your joints.

The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center reports being only ten pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 60 pounds with each step. Exercise also strengthens the muscles around joints, helping to reduce wear on the muscles and joints. Regular physical activity also stretches our tendons and ligaments to maintain flexibility.

Cartilage is like a rubbery cushion in a joint, and it gets lubricated when we move that joint. Regular exercise keeps components of our joints lubricated and flexible, helping to reduce pain. All of these activities can boost your heart rate while avoiding the stress on your joints caused by high-impact exercises that involve running and jumping.

Arthritis does affect women more frequently than men. More than 46 million Americans are living with arthritis, and 61 percent of them are women. That means about 28 million women are affected by arthritis in the United States. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center says RA is two to three more times prevalent in women compared to men. Researchers believe hormonal differences between women and men may explain part of the reason.

These steps include practicing specific exercises and making dietary changes and adjustments to daily habits. There are more than different types of arthritis. Arthritis is generally not preventable, but a person may be able to reduce their risk by changing the risk factors that they can control. Some types of arthritis cause pain or stiffness in the joints, while others can attack the immune system. Osteoarthritis can affect nearly any joint in the body, but it most commonly affects the joints in the knees, hips, and hands.

This article discusses how to reduce the risk of developing arthritis in the hands or prevent it from worsening. It also explains how to reduce and manage the pain of arthritis. Once the cartilage has worn away enough, a person can experience pain and stiffness in their joints. These factors can activate the immune system years before symptoms appear. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis often affect the hands and fingers, and they can both cause joint stiffness or difficulty moving the joint.

Osteoarthritis often affects the last joint on the finger, which is the one closest to the tip. Rheumatoid arthritis typically does not affect this joint. In addition, the NIAMS note that osteoarthritis stiffness usually goes away within 30 minutes of waking up or resting, whereas the pain and stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis tend to last longer than 30 minutes. Not all forms of arthritis are preventable. However, a person can take some steps to reduce their risk of developing osteoarthritis in their joints.

Use these 5 strategies to manage your arthritis at any age. How can a self-management education workshop help me? Learning strategies to better manage your arthritis can help you: Feel more in control of your health.

Manage pain and other symptoms. Carry out daily activities, like going to work and spending time with loved ones. Reduce stress. Improve your mood. Communicate better with your health care provider s about your care. Top of Page. Unsure about what kind of activity is safe? Physical Activity for Arthritis. Learn how you can exercise safely to relieve pain and manage your arthritis.

Learn More. The focus of arthritis treatment is to Reduce pain. Minimize joint damage. Arthritis is all too common in women, but you can take some steps now to prevent arthritis later or slow its progression. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: January 5, Medically Reviewed. Fight Back Against Arthritis So what can you do? Maintain a good body weight. Excess body weight is one of the best-known and most important risk factors for arthritis. The more pressure you put on your joints, the faster they wear out. Change up your diet by adding in fiber each day and eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while limiting refined carbohydrates and fat.

Remember, small changes are always easier to maintain than big ones. So focus on baby steps at first for lasting prevention of arthritis pain.