Women Are At Significantly Higher Risk For Developing Arthritis Than Men

Women are at significantly higher risk for developing arthritis, especially osteoarthritis (OA). Besides, experts believe that women get more OA than men.

Some of the important factors that contribute to this fact are:

Wide hips: Women have wider hips in comparison to males, which affects knee alignment. Wide hips can cause additional stress inside of the knee, which may lead to osteoarthritis. 

Women tend to have unusually flexible joints, which some research indicates may increase the risk for OA.

Childbirth: The number of complete deliveries of a woman increases the likelihood of developing either the hip or knee arthritis. During pregnancy, females gain around 10 to 16 kg of weight, causing additional pressure on the joints. During pregnancy, posture is also compromised, which puts uneven pressure on the knee joints for a long time. 

Menopause: Hormone estrogen play an important role in osteoarthritis. Low estrogen levels cause bone loss leading to osteoporosis. There is a steep rise in osteoarthritis in women who have achieved menopause.  Women who already have OA of the knee can have worsening of the symptoms during this time. Decline in the production of female hormone estrogen increases the risk of arthritis.

Loss of muscle strength: Alternatively, a testosterone deficiency may put women at risk for osteoarthritis. Hormone testosterone helps in muscle building and men have stronger leg muscles than women. Strong muscles better support the knee joint and helps in reducing the risk of osteoarthritis.

Do you know that 7 out of 10 patients suffering from Osteoarthritis are Women. If you are a woman with age more than 40 years and experienced any of above, you are at high risk for Osteoarthritis.

To live a healthy life, get yourself diagnosed at the earliest.