A Q & A WITH DR. S. SAENZ: WHAT ARE MY RISKS FOR DEVELOPING ARTHRITIS?
Hi guys, this is Dr. Saenz, and we're going to be answering a question today regarding long-term bone and joint health.
The question submitted was,
WHAT ARE MY RISKS FOR DEVELOPING ARTHRITIS?
Now, when speaking strictly about primary osteoarthritis (OA), which is the natural wear and tear on our bones and joints, there are a lot of risk factors involved.
The most common risk factor that we see, and the one that we in the musculoskeletal field fight every single day, is natural aging—a constant fight against father time.
We're always doing everything we can to push back, but, inevitably, as we put more and more miles on our weight-bearing joints, we start to see a decompensation in the resiliency of the cartilage, and we start to see joint space narrowing.
Those are some of the primary features of osteoarthritis.
WHAT ARE COMMON RISKS FACTORS?
One of the most common risk factors that we see in our clinics, which is a very, very high-risk factor for osteoarthritis is obesity.
Our weight-bearing joints do have a lifespan. If we increase the amount that these joints have to carry every single day, as we put more and more miles on these joints, it does take its toll.
We see that these joints start to wear out prematurely and faster on an obese individual than on someone who does not carry as much weight. Fortunately, obesity is a modifiable risk factor. A problem with a solution.
However, If one of your older family members such as your parents or grandparents suffered from primary osteoarthritis, then you are also at risk for developing the same condition. There is a very high risk of developing osteoarthritis if a patient also had family members who suffered from OA. Therefore, if you have a relative who has it, you could be at higher risk for it, as well.
If you've ever been diagnosed with an injury to the cartilage, or the bone within a joint, or if you've ever had any type of surgery on a joint, then this could raise your risk for arthritis, as well.
This is one of the most common questions that we get in the clinic. We, here at Sports Medicine Associates, are happy to help you be a more informed patient and help you enjoy your next physician-patient encounter.
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