If there is one battle of the sexes you don’t want to win, it’s men vs. women and osteoarthritis.
The prevalence, incidence, and severity of osteoarthritis are different in women than in men. It seems, though, that the areas affected by arthritis are divided pretty equally among men and women.
Although the presentation of osteoarthritis does not differ between men and women, symptom severity does. For example, women are twice as likely as men to suffer from more severe arthritis in the hand knee. Men, however, are three times more likely than women to undergo hip arthroplasty.
Arthritis rates rise sharply with age; it is the leading chronic condition in mid and late life. Most people over age 60 have some degree of osteoarthritis, but its severity varies among the sexes. Women's rates of severe osteoarthritis exceed men's at all older ages mostly because of how menopause affects bones and joints. But, among persons with arthritis, women are only a little more likely than men to be disabled or crippled from arthritis.
This is not to say that because you are a woman, you will get osteoarthritis before the men you know will. By nature, women face a greater threat of when it comes to arthritis, but everyone suffers from risks factors of biology, genetic predisposition, and even obesity. The best way to delay or avoid arthritis altogether, is to live your healthiest life. Be conscious of the food you eat and the weight you gain. These are major contributors to poor health and arthritis.
If you have symptoms of osteoarthritis, it is best to seek treatment early so that you can have a better chance of keeping it from becoming more severe. Ortho El Paso and The Precision Hand Surgery Center at Ortho El Paso treat arthritis symptoms of the hand, elbow, shoulder, knee, and hips. For an immediate consultation with our orthopedic surgeons in El Paso, call 915-249-4000 or visit us at www.orthoep.comto schedule.
