You might want to reconsider your assumptions if you believe you won’t need to worry about “arthritis” till you’re your grandmother’s age. You can adopt some healthy habits today to help reduce your risk for more severe arthritis (and to help with any joint discomfort in general). Yes, your odds of developing arthritis rise with age, and those risks also rise if you’re female and have a family history of the condition.
The CDC estimates that there are approximately 100 different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis, which almost everyone develops as they age, primarily because of wear and tear on the joints.
Then there are inflammatory varieties of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, which are linked to the inflammatory skin disorder psoriasis. These two varieties, which are autoimmune illnesses, in theory, can affect people of any age (more commonly, women).
Although neither of these disorders is entirely preventable, some behaviors can help osteoarthritis advance more slowly, and others raise your risk of getting specific autoimmune conditions.
You don’t have to drastically alter your way of life to avoid developing arthritis; adjustments to reduce your risk can be as easy as drinking more water or limiting your nightly doomscrolling to get a better night’s sleep and, presumably, strengthen your immune system.
Here are ten preventive steps you may do to reduce your risk of developing arthritis.
RELATED: 6 Exercises to Protect Your Knees From Arthritis
Do Low-Impact Exercises
You may need to reduce your exercise regimen for certain problematic joints once you exhibit arthritis symptoms in that area or are at high risk for developing it. You should avoid weight-bearing, high-impact workouts if you have arthritis or knee or hip pain.
Stretch Each Day
Stretching keeps the muscles and joints flexible and lowers the risk of injury.
Concentrate on the dynamic and static forms of stretches. Dynamic stretches include:
