Is Osteoarthritis a Normal Part of Aging?

Cartilage is the smooth connective tissue that covers and protects the ends of your bones. A membrane called synovium surrounds your joints and keeps your cartilage healthy. 

As you age, the wear and tear on your cartilage from daily activities such as walking and other movements can cause it to degenerate. Once the cartilage wears away, the synovium can become inflamed and swollen. Joint pain and swelling associated with cartilage loss and synovium inflammation are all part of a common type of arthritis known as osteoarthritis. 

Osteoarthritis is often associated with age, and although age is undoubtedly the greatest risk factor for developing it, it’s not a guarantee. Many other risk factors are at play, and there are several things you can do to slow down its development or even prevent it entirely.

At Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas, pain management expert Don Enty, MD, leads our team in diagnosing and treating osteoarthritis. In this month’s blog, we look at the link between osteoarthritis and aging, and you can lower your risk for this particular arthritis type. 

Why is osteoarthritis so common as you age?

Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis in aging adults, especially over 65. But why is this? As stated before, activities you do in your daily life can eventually take their toll on your joints, leaving you reaping those benefits of a life well lived as an adult. 

These are some other health factors that often come with aging and play into your likelihood of osteoarthritis development:

• Loss of bone density
• Decrease in muscle mass
• Diminished synovial fluid in joints
• Breakdown in cartilage
• Increase in body-wide inflammation 
• Changes in immune system function

Besides aging, other common risk factors for osteoarthritis include obesity, family history, joint injuries, and joint deformities. 

How you can help lower your risk for osteoarthritis 

Mitigating your risk for osteoarthritis is highly possible through healthy lifestyle choices. Even if you do develop the condition, making healthy choices can at least delay its onset or reduce its severity. 

Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your joints healthy, flexible, and pain-free. To avoid further joint pain and damage, focus on low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, and swimming. Stretching and balancing are other methods for optimizing joint health. 

Incorporating healthy and nutritious foods — especially those containing vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids — into your diet can help reduce inflammation throughout your body and assist with osteoarthritis management. 

Eating healthy and exercising regularly can also help you manage your weight, which can also reduce your risk for osteoarthritis. 

Seek expert osteoarthritis care with our team

If you find that joint pain and swelling become too much to handle on your own, Dr. Enty and the rest of our Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine team offer treatment options to help you better manage pain and swelling, including a wide range of injection therapies such as cortisone injections and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.

To get started with our osteoarthritis care, schedule an appointment by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.