Weight
Hand osteoarthritis influenced by fat distribution as well as obesity
Obesity is a known risk factor for hand osteoarthritis but a team looked at if fat tissue and distribution made a difference too.
They studied 5,315 people aged an average of 56 years. Hand osteoarthritis affected 8% of men and 20% of women. And it was associated with fat percentage, fat mass and waist-hip ratio, concludes the research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.
To read more visit http://arthritis-research.com/content/16/1/R19/abstract.
Lupus leads to higher fracture risk, says new study
People with lupus could be more likely to experience clinical fractures, says research published in Osteoporosis International.
A total of 4,343 people with lupus were compared with a group of healthy people and monitored for over six years. Continue reading
Decision time: your choice determines your healthcare
The advent of NHS Choices nearly five years ago means that everyone who is cared for by the NHS in England now has the right to choose about the service that they receive. So you can choose a GP surgery, which doctor you see within the surgery and which hospital you’re treated at, and information will be given to you to support your decisions.
So what is important to think about when you’re about to have an arthritis-related procedure, such as a knee or hip replacement? Continue reading
Physical activity despite osteoarthritis increases quality of life
A wide variety of health benefits can achieved by people with osteoarthritis simply by increasing their level of physical activity, says a study presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in San Diego.
Data on physical activity levels in adults with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis was analysed. Participants were part of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, which involved more than 4,700 people. Continue reading
Staying active reduces arthritis in later life
Older women could protect themselves from arthritis and other conditions later in life by keeping physically active and adopting other healthy habits, says research published in Age and Ageing.
Data from over 2,500 women aged 60–79 years found that those who never exercised had double the risk of arthritis, were twice as likely to develop problems walking and were more likely to have heart disease.
The report reminds women of the importance of a healthy lifestyle when seeking to stave off the risk of arthritis, which affects around ten million people inthe UK.
