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Dr. O'Connor explains how women can prevent knee arthritis.
Dr. O'Connor:
There are lots of things that women can do to prevent arthritis from developing or from getting worse. And one of the most important things is to keep a good body weight. So it’s to try to avoid getting fat, basically.
So the other thing that’s important is to keep your muscles strong and toned because the muscles around the knee help absorb some of that shock with every step that we take, the pounding activity on the joint. If we have strong muscles, they help absorb some of that shock, taking it away from the cartilage.
So a good exercise program, low-impact exercises, keeping your weight ideal, trying some over-the-counter medication for pain – those are basically the main treatments to help prevent arthritis or prevent it from getting worse.
About Dr. O'Connor, M.D.:
Dr. Mary O'Connor, M.D., was accepted as a resident in orthopedic surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, New York in 1985. She joined the orthopedic surgery staff at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida in 1991, and since 2005 has served as department chair. Dr. O'Connor cares for people with hip and knee arthritis, failed joint replacements, and pelvic tumors.