Millions of Americans suffer from arthritis, but it's not inevitable for everyone. Discover strategies to help prevent this joint condition and maintain your joint health.

While arthritis is often associated with aging, 60% of Americans under 64 have at least one form of this degenerative disease. The most common type, osteoarthritis, affects about 33 million American adults.

If you want to avoid the painful, swollen joints that come with arthritis, you might be wondering: can arthritis be prevented? Read on to find out. In this article, we share our top five tips to help you prevent arthritis.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage cushioning your bones wears down, leading to painful bone-on-bone contact and other debilitating symptoms. Carrying excess weight puts additional pressure on your joints, accelerating cartilage wear and the onset of osteoarthritis. To preserve your cartilage and joint health, it's crucial to maintain a healthy weight. If you're currently overweight or obese, taking steps to shed those extra pounds can make a significant difference.

Don’t Forget Your Feet

Your footwear choice significantly impacts your foot health and posture. Poorly fitting shoes lacking adequate support can force your feet into unnatural positions, increasing pressure on your joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, potentially hastening osteoarthritis development. Opt for well-fitted, supportive shoes to promote optimal joint health and minimize strain on your feet and body.

Eat for Joint (and overall) Health

A healthy, well-balanced diet rich in a variety of vitamins and nutrients supports strong and healthy joints. This type of diet also benefits your overall health. Eating for joint and overall health helps you maintain a healthy weight, which is crucial for preventing arthritis. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds.

Specific foods that help reduce inflammation and boost collagen, which is vital for cartilage health, include:

• Dark leafy greens like kale

• Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts

• Berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries

• Garlic and onions

Additionally, studies indicate that a chemical found in green tea may help prevent cartilage breakdown and reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals, potentially aiding in the fight against arthritis.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Your cartilage is primarily composed of water, so staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is crucial for keeping your joints lubricated. When you're dehydrated, the fluid in your cartilage decreases. This loss of fluid can damage the cartilage, reduce cushioning between joints, and accelerate the wear and tear that leads to osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, damaged cartilage cannot repair itself. To maintain healthy joints, make sure you drink at least eight glasses of water daily.

Get and Stay Active

Regular exercise not only benefits your heart and keeps your waistline in check, but it also helps develop a strong musculoskeletal system, which can protect your joints. Staying active improves your range of motion and flexibility, keeping your joints functioning optimally for longer. Additionally, regular exercise can slow bone loss and rebuild weak bones, as weight-bearing activities stimulate calcium production and bone cell regeneration.

Aim to exercise regularly each day. You don’t need to join a gym or become an extreme athlete to reap the benefits of staying active. Your Prima Medicine provider can assist in creating a customized exercise program tailored to your needs.

Treating Arthritis in Bowie Maryland

Bowie Internal Medicine is committed to treating any conditions you may have, as well as preventing further health complications through preventative care. For more information, please contact our office to schedule an appointment or ask any questions.