Causes of Osteoarthritis

Three things typically cause osteoarthritis. 

• Genetics
• What happens to you during your life
• How you live

Genetics is important in determining whether you get arthritis. If your parents or other close relatives have or had the disease you are more likely to develop arthritis. 

However, what happens to you during your life is also important because there is a relationship between your activities and developing arthritis. For example joggers, high school and professional athletes in high impact team sports (e.g. football) and people who have had joint injuries or fractures are more likely to develop arthritis later in life in areas that were injured. Also, repetitive bending, stooping and lifting in your day-to-day life can lead to cartilage loss and pain in the hips and knees.
 
Other aspects of how you live your life can impact the disease as well. If you are overweight or were overweight for a significant amount of time in your life, you are more likely to develop arthritis in the knees, back and hips from the pounding your joints took. Even if you were never overweight, played impact sports, jogged, had a broken bone or your close relatives never had arthritis, sometimes osteoarthritis hits people without a known reason. How do you know if you have or may get arthritis? You should assess your risk and assess your symptoms.