Know Your Genetic Likelihood For Osteoarthritis To Prevent It

Osteoarthritis is an age-related condition that results in the degeneration of joints, cartilage, and bones. Our joint cartilage provides flexibility and cushioning to the bones in our joints. With age, wear and tear happen to the body, and the cartilage can get damaged. Once the joint cartilage loses its shock-absorbing qualities, the bones start rubbing against each other that causes osteoarthritis pain. In the current environment and sedentary lifestyles, it has started affecting middle-aged individuals also.

There are a lot of factors that play a role in the development of osteoarthritis - like your lifestyle, food habits, and physical activity - but genetics also has a huge influence on whether you will develop osteoarthritis.  You can know your likelihood of osteoarthritis with a DNAwise genetic test. DNAwise is an easy-to-use test - the test kit gets delivered to your home, you provide your saliva sample, the test kit is picked up, and DNA from your saliva is analyzed. Your genetic predispositions for 80 parameters related to your health, fitness, nutrition, and habits are reported along with lifestyle modification recommendations. A genetic counselor helps you understand your report; following these recommendations to modify your lifestyle can help you prevent or delay the onset of osteoarthritis and many other diseases.

In case your DNAwise report shows a likelihood of developing osteoarthritis, keep an eye on these signs and symptoms:

• Joint pain during or after any movement
• Stiffness, tenderness, and loss of flexibility while moving the knee
• Severe pain and inflammation in the joints
• Friction and pain in the joint while moving

Your genetic counselor might advise the following kind of changes in your lifestyle if you have a predisposition towards osteoarthritis.

• Weight loss - if you are overweight, you might be recommended to lose weight as it puts more pressure on the knee joints and causes the destruction of the cartilage.
• Blood sugar management - high sugar levels affect your cartilage, and diabetes increases the risk of inflammation.
• Schedule regular exercise - exercise helps in increasing the flexibility of your joints and strengthens the muscles supporting the knees.
• Reduce the risk of injury - by wearing the right fit footwear and protective gear while playing sports.
• Change in daily habits - a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, and reducing stressful activities can help to keep away osteoarthritis.

Understand your susceptibility to osteoarthritis with DNAwise. Know how to place an order for your DNAwise kit.