Osteoarthritis - continued

Here is a list of some common causes of OA:

• Any joint trauma that causes an injury to the cartilage, ligaments or other structures found on the inside of the joint can start the OA process. Joint trauma can also be caused by repetitively straining the joint during some activities or jobs such as farming and professional athletics.
• With each year that you perform activities and use your joints, the joints start to wear away and the joint surfaces lose their smoothness. Therefore, age is a common cause of OA.
• People who are over weight are more likely to develop OA. With obesity there is an increased stress on the hip and knee joints as you stand and walk. This stress causes wear and tear on the joints.
• People who have weak muscles are more likely to develop OA. If muscles are weak, the joints are not protected and so the joint is more likely to be injured and eventually develop OA.
• Other things that have been associated with causing OA are genetics, a decreased vitamin C and D intake, and osteoporosis.