Assessing Your Risk of Developing Arthritis

If you are:

• a woman
• over the age of 60 and have used your joints in any type of repetitive motion for prolonged periods such as jogging, bending, stooping, lifting
• you’ve sustained a joint injury in an accident or fall
• you have a close relative with osteoarthritis
• you are or were overweight

Your risk of developing osteoarthritis is increased. 

If you are already experiencing joint stiffness, joint pain with movement or you wake up with joint pain in the morning, you may already have arthritis. Make a point to tell your doctor about these symptoms on your next visit. Pain and stiff joints are not just a normal part of aging that you must endure.