Arthritis Arthritis It's the nation's leading cause of disability among adults, and it's more likely to strike women than men. At least 26 million women in the United States have some type of arthritis. The most common type osteoarthritis tends to occur more often in older people, usually striking between the ages of 45 and 65. That's because the cartilage around our joints can get worn down from years of wear and tear. Without cartilage to cushion them, bones rub together and cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. Several areas are particularly vulnerable, including the knees, hips, wrists, fingers, toes, neck, and lower back. Many people may have osteoarthritis and not realize it because they have no symptoms, says Yvonne Sherrer, M.D., director of clinical research at the Center for Rheumatology, Immunology, and Arthritis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That's probably because certain lifestyle factors, which we describe below, can prevent symptoms from ever occurring. Here are the key actions experts recommend to keep osteoarthritis or at least its symptoms from bothering your bones. Shed a few pounds. The more you weigh, the more stress certain joints have to bear. And the more stress you place on your joints, the more wear and tear that occurs. It just makes sense. "We know that if you keep your weight down to ideal body weight, then you're less likely to have problems with osteoarthritis of the knees," Dr. Sherrer says. If you are overweight, just losing 10 to 20 pounds can substantially reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis symptoms, she says. Get some exercise. Strong muscles equal healthier joints. That's because if your muscles are weak, they cannot effectively protect the joint they surround and may eventually cause it to slip out of alignment, explains Dr. Sherrer. As a result, certain areas of the joint may sustain a lot of pressure. But regular exercise increases your muscle strength, which helps adequately protect the joints and makes them more flexible. Activities that don't put a lot of stress on the joints, like walking and swimming, are best. Don't overexercise. Serious athletes are more prone to osteoarthritis because they tend to overuse their joints. That speeds up the wearand tear process, Dr. Sherrer says. "If you abuse your joints, then you pay a price," she says. "And athletes are the most notorious group when it comes to overstressing the joints." Anti Aging Anti Aging Generation| Anti Aging Health Strategy| Anti Aging for Women| Take a Bite Out of Aging| Check the Index| Aim Low| Fat Factor| The Zobra Diet| Bulf Of Long Life| What about Meat?| Get the Protein, Forgo the Fat| The Taxic Avengers| Great Ways to Ambush Radicals| Going Vegetarian Sparked Her Youth| Is That a Toxin in My "Soup"?| Put Your Diet into Rehab| Little Bean, Big Benefits| Sneaking Soy into Your Diet| The Anti Aging Supplements| Alpha Lipoic Acid| Vitamins Minerals| Bioflavonoids| Coenzyme-Q10| Flaxseed Oil| Ginkgo| Are Harmone Supplements Safe?| Melotonin| Phoaphatidylserine| Pycnogenol| Vitamin C| Vitamin E| Aerobics| Disease-Proof Your Body| Liven Up Your Lifestyles| 12 Tips For a Better Workout| Weather Your Workout| Water| Erasing the Lines of Time| Skin Enemy Number One: The Sun| Sunscreen to the Rescue| A Sunscreen Primer| Sun Tips for Sun Junkies| Clean Up Your Act| Perfect Cleanser| Navigating Moisturizer Maze| The Care and Feeding of Youthful Skin| Special Problems of Aging Skin Cosmetic Nutrients Cosmetic Nutrients| Get Glowing with Glycolic Acid| User's guide of Glycolic Acids| Retin-A and Renova| Using Retin-A and Renova| Vitamin C: Future Youth?| Don't Get Lost at "C"| Getting the Most from C Makeups Makeup That Enhances| Foundation| Concealer| Blush| Powder| Eye Makeup| Lipstick| Winning the Battle of the Mane| Color to the Youthful| Dressed to Impress| Acting Your Age| 10 Attributes of a Youthful Mind Right Weight Getting Your Right Weight| Weighing In| Say Goodbye to Dieting| Putting Exercise into Everyday Events| Defying Disease| Disease Proof Your Lifestyle| Arthritis| Cancer| Diabetes| Heart Disease and Stroke| Osteoporosis|Keeping Your Senses Sharp|Can You Speak Little Louder?|Preventing Hearing Loss|Target Hearing Loss Early|The Eyes Have It|Buying Sunglasses|Eyes Need Exercise|The Life of Visionary Memory Memory Like an Elephant| Keeping the Brain Up and Running|Improving Your Everyday Memory| Get Organized| Living a Memory Enhancing Lifestyle Sleep Sweet Sleep and Relaxation| Turning Out the Lights, Naturally| Easing Toward Dreamland|When All Else Fails