Relationship Between Sedentary Lifestyle, Weight Gain, and Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, also called Degenerative Joint Disease, is a severe medical condition when the cartilage between two bones starts to deteriorate. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are significant risk factors for osteoarthritis. It is often associated with other pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. A prospective study has concluded that more than 47% of diabetes type 2 patients also suffer from osteoarthritis. ¹

Scroll down to learn more about this painful condition and how to treat it.

What is Osteoarthritis?

The human bones are surrounded by a firm connective tissue known as cartilage. It helps with movement, bending, and other physiology-related activities.

At times, cartilage degenerates faster than usual due to certain controllable or uncontrollable reasons. As a result, the joints become stiff and painful. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis in the hips, arms, and knees.

Osteoarthritis is also called a degenerative joint disease (DJD), as the cartilage in some specific areas begins to break down and change to the bone.

Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis

Risk factors for osteoarthritis range from gender, lifestyle, and workload to family history and other genetic conditions. Around 62% of OA cases are found in females. Furthermore, it can be hereditary, since some people are genetically predisposed to cartilage and bone issues.

According to research, postmenopausal women have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis compared to men of the same age due to a sudden decline in estrogen levels. ²

Below, we have mentioned some common causes of osteoarthritis:

• Age
• Obesity
• History of surgery
• Family history
• Overuse of joints
• Joint malalignment

There is a direct link between osteoarthritis and obesity since obesity increases the likelihood of developing the disease. That’s why knee osteoarthritis in obese women is prevalent, and the risk is four times higher compared to men. ³

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis is a painful condition, and its symptoms can directly impact an individual’s life. These patients can experience severe pain and suffer from debilitating symptoms. But the severity of the condition also depends on the affected body part.

For instance, knee osteoarthritis can be more painful and uncomfortable than the one in hand, as the knees support the whole physical structure of a human.  ⁴

Here is a list of symptoms to look out for if you suspect OA:

• Pain in particular body parts, especially knees
• Stiffness in joints
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Loss of flexibility
• Pain increases after one move or works
• Bone spurs
• Sedentary lifestyle

Osteoarthritis Diagnosis

It’s important to get diagnosed as soon as possible, as osteoarthritis might significantly compromise your quality of life.

Once you visit a physician, they will get X-rays done to observe the level of degeneration and severity of the condition. Alternatively, your doctor can also do an MRI for deeper analysis.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Treatment for osteoarthritis begins right after diagnosis and depends on the severity of the condition. The standard treatment that doctors advise is lifestyle changes and weight loss. Getting physically active and maintaining an average body weight can help control OA.

Additionally, pain medications will be prescribed to counter the discomfort and pain the patient experiences. Medicines like OSTENIL, OSTENIL MINI & OSTENIL PLUS help relieve osteoarthritis-induced pain and are highly efficacious in improving the symptoms of osteoarthritis. ^{5 6 7}

An osteoarthritis knee brace is another tool that some doctors advise to deal with stiffness and discomfort.

In rare conditions, osteoarthritis knee surgery is advised by a doctor. It’s a medical procedure aiming at replacing the damaged joint. However, if osteoarthritis has progressed to become severe, then surgery may be imperative.

Conclusion

Many factors increase the risk of OA; however, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are prominent ones. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your body can help you avoid many diseases in your later years.

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Endnotes

1. Barbour, K. E., Helmick, C. G., Theis, K. A., Murphy, L. B., Hootman, J. M., Brady, T. J., & Cheng, Y. J. (2013). Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2010–2012. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 62(44), 869.
2. Hame, S. L., & Alexander, R. A. (2013). Knee osteoarthritis in women. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 6(2), 182-187.
3. Anderson, J. J., & Felson, D. T. (1988). Factors associated with osteoarthritis of the knee in the first national Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES I) evidence for an association with overweight, race, and physical demands of work. American journal of epidemiology, 128(1), 179-189.
4. Allen, K. D., Coffman, C. J., Golightly, Y. M., Stechuchak, K. M., & Keefe, F. J. (2009). Daily pain variations among patients with hand, hip, and knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 17(10), 1275-1282.
5. Maheu, E., Avouac, B., Dreiser, R. L., & Bardin, T. (2019). A single intra-articular injection of 2.0% non-chemically modified sodium hyaluronate vs 0.8% hylan GF 20 in the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: A 6-month, multicenter, randomized, controlled non-inferiority trial. PloS one, 14(12), e0226007.
6. Fuchs, S., Erbe, T., Fischer, H. L., & Tibesku, C. O. (2005). Intraarticular hyaluronic acid versus glucocorticoid injections for nonradicular pain in the lumbar spine. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 16(11), 1493-1498.
7. Tsvetkova ES, Denisov L, Shmidt EI, Ryabitseva O, Anikin S. Efficacy and safety of sodium hyaluronate in hip osteoarthritis. A randomised double-blind, lidocaine-controlled, multicentre study with a 12-month follow-up. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases. 2010;69(Suppl 3):281.