How does stress on my joints affect my risk for osteoarthritis?
Stress from an injury. Factors that place too much stress on a joint can increase the risk for osteoarthritis. One type of stressor is a sudden, major injury. A limb injury can:
- change the chemical and physical makeup of the cartilage, bone, and its supporting structure
- influence how a joint is used, causing you to place or transfer stress to structures and tissues within and around the joint
- cause muscle, tendon, and ligament weakness which can also contribute to osteoarthritis
Together, these factors help to begin the destructive changes associated with osteoarthritis.
Stress from repeated use. If you have a job that requires you to use a single joint over and over again, you have an increased risk for osteoarthritis. Some studies, for instance, have shown that jobs that require heavy lifting, bending, and squatting, such as construction jobs, are associated with a higher risk for osteoarthritis in the knee.