Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesGeneticsLifestyle Risk FactorsFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Arthritis GuideHow Arthritis Is Treated
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes
Genetics
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Arthritis Guide
There are 100 different forms ofarthritis, each with its own set of causes and risk factors. The most common types includeosteoarthritis,rheumatoid arthritis, andgout. Determining the cause of arthritis can be difficult since multiple, overlapping factors typically contribute to its development. Possible causes of arthritis include age- and lifestyle-related wear and tear, infections, injuries, and autoimmune conditions.
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With each of the major types of arthritis, there are different causes and risk factors, but these are the ones most often at play.
Older Age
Older age is a major factor in arthritis as cartilage becomes increasingly brittle over time and has less capacity to repair itself. The development of osteoarthritis is typically seen to begin between the ages of 40 and 50, although it can start earlier in other forms of the disorder.
Arthritis can strike at any age, including in children. While more common in older adults, symptoms should be assessed in all age groups.
Injury
Infection
Certain infections around the joint, whether bacterial or viral, lead to the deterioration of cartilage or the formation of skin lesions that penetrate the joint andsynovial membrane. People who experience a joint infection (septic joint), multiple episodes of gout, or recurrentstaph infectionaround a joint run a higher risk of developing arthritis.
Autoimmune Factors
Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis,juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and lupus are among the types of inflammatory arthritis in which your immune system attacks your own tissues. What causes this to happen is unclear and may be due to several factors, including genetic predisposition, infections, or environmental exposures. Your immune system is sensitized and makes antibodies that attack your joints and organs.
Genetics seem to play a key role the development of certain types of arthritis, although the association is still not fully understood. A family history can suggest an increased risk depending on the type of arthritis involved. For example, approximately 40% of patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis have family members who have one of these conditions.
Certain forms of rheumatoid arthritis are linked togenetic markersknown as HLA-B27 and HLA-DR4. Variants in other genes may also contribute, including:
Risk Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Symptoms of Gout
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia are more common in women, while gout is more common in men. The reasons for this difference in risk is unclear.
There are things you do that can increase your risk of some forms of arthritis and might worsen the effects of other types. Importantly, the stress you place our joints today can lead to the development of arthritis later.
Obesity
Obesityis a factor as it directly contributes to the stress a joint can be placed under. This is especially true for hip and knee joints, where excessive weight have a direct impact and cause inflammation that gradually deteriorates joint tissues.
Occupational Hazards
Sports
High-level sports activity can lead to arthritis if it involves blunt force impact or results in damage to a bone or joint. This happens in contact sports, but also those that place persistent impact stress on a joint, such as long-distance running.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking increases your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. It can also worsen the condition and cause other medical problems.
Foods and Medications
In the case of gout, certain foods and medications can increase the level of uric acid, which can then cause a gout flare. You will often be given a list of what to avoid, including beer and foods high in purine.
Foods to Eat and Avoid With Gout
A Word From Verywell
The development of arthritis is a complex and intertwined process with multiple factors at work. While you cannot control all of them, there are steps you can take to prevent arthritis or, if you’ve already been diagnosed, its progression. The more you are dedicated to this, the more likely it is that simple treatments, if needed, remain effective for as long as possible.
Researchers still aren’t sure precisely what causes most forms of arthritis. That said, the normalwear and tearthat appears with age, genetics, obesity, lifestyle factors such as smoking, and prior injury to a joint, among other factors, all may play a role in the development of many forms of arthritis.
How Arthritis Is Diagnosed
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Risk Factors.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and Genetic Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis: A Review.Work. 2015;50(2):261–273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Risk Factors.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and Genetic Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis: A Review.Work. 2015;50(2):261–273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1
Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739
Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Risk Factors.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and Genetic Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis: A Review.Work. 2015;50(2):261–273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Risk Factors.
Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and Genetic Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis: A Review.Work. 2015;50(2):261–273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739
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