Four older adults, two women and two men, are smiling and laughing together while hiking outdoors in a forested area, dressed in casual clothing and carrying backpacks—enjoying how the most effective medication for osteoarthritis supports their active lifestyle.

5 Ways to Prevent Osteoarthritis

According to the Word Health Organisation, the number of people living with osteoarthritis increased by 113% between 1990 and 2019. Although this is in part influenced by the aging population, social changes like increasing rates of obesity and injury have resulted in OA starting to affect younger adults too. Although genetics do influence your chances of developing OA, there are some small changes that you can start today to help delay or even prevent the onset of OA or even slow down the progression of the disease. 

Here are five effective ways to protect your joints and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

What is osteoarthritis?

According to recent reports, among the more than 100 forms of arthritis and related diseases, osteoarthritis is the most common. This degenerative joint disease typically affects individuals over the age of 50 and is particularly common in women. Characterised by the breakdown of cartilage in the joint over time, sufferers of OA experience varying degrees of stiffness and pain depending on the stage.

How to prevent osteoarthritis

Preventing OA involves a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle and habits. The most important thing to consider is that it is never too early or too late to start. Even if you are already experiencing the symptoms of early OA, making these 5 small changes can help slow your progression.

Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the most important ways to prevent osteoarthritis and joint problems in general. After age 30 you begin to lose around 3% to 5% of your muscle mass per decade. By age 50 this accelerates even further to around 15% per decade, increasing your chances of injury and leaving your joints unsupported.

Exercise to prevent osteoarthritis
By practising regular exercise you strengthen joint-supporting muscles, reducing the strain on joints. It is important that you also don’t overdo it. Too much high-impact exercise like running can speed up wear on your joints. Rather, opt for low impact activities like swimming and cycling.
maintain a healthy weight to prevent osteoarthritis

Maintain a healthy weight

Did you know that for every one kilogram of weight your knees experience four time the amount of load? 

Ensuring you maintain a healthy weight under the guidance of a health care practitioner can help ease the load on weight-bearing joints, reducing wear. While most people tend to focus on the impact of obesity on the joints, it is important to note that being underweight can have an equally negative impact.

Protect your joints

Joint injuries can increase your chances of developing OA by around seven times. Using the proper technique when lifting heavy objects, wearing the correct footwear, setting up an ergonomic workstation, and listening to your body can all help you avoid injury.
protect your joints to prevent osteoarthritis
anti-inflammatory diet to prevent osteoarthritis

Switch to an anti-inflammatory diet

Inflammation plays a significant role in OA and what you eat can have an impact on inflammation throughout your body. Foods high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce this inflammation and potentially prevent the onset of OA.
Leafy greens, fish, nuts, and berries are all good groups to include in your diet as well as substituting processed foods for more whole foods.

Support your joints with supplements

Certain medications can help maintain cartilage health and reduce inflammation in the joints. Some research has suggested that supplements like collagen can help to support cartilage health.
joint supplements to prevent osteoarthritis
It is never too early or too late to start taking care of your joints. Whether you are looking to prevent osteoarthritis or slow its progression, making small, proactive changes can have a significant impact on your long-term joint health. By incorporating regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, protecting your joints, following an anti-inflammatory diet, and considering supportive supplements, you can take control of your joint health today. If you are already experiencing some joint pain and stiffness, medications like Piascledine are clinically proven to reduce joint pain and stiffness and even aid in stimulating the repair of damaged cartilage.

No matter your age or current condition, these steps can help you stay active, mobile, and pain-free for years to come.
A box of piascledine, a supplement used to prevent osteoarthritis

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References
  1. World Health Organisation. Osteoarthritis. Last accessed August 2025.
  2. Mayo Clinic. Osteoarthritis. Last accessed August 2025. 
  3. Dr Anthony A Theodorides. The impact of obesity on knee osteoarthritis. Last accessed August 2025.
  4. Healthline. What you need to know about the health benefits of collagen. Last accessed August 2025
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