Health Risks Osteoarthritis
Based on your genetics, your genetic predisposition for Osteoarthritis is
What does this mean?
Your genotypes indicate that you have low risk for osteoarthritis.
How Is Your Genetic Risk Calculated?
13.98
This result is based on the SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphism)that are associated with Osteoarthritis.
Risk Factors Can Influence The Risk of Developing Osteoarthritis
Genetics are NOT the only risk factor for Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors. Now that you have learnt about your genetic risk, you can determine how aggressively you need to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.
The earlier in your life that you commit to living a healthy lifestyle, the more you can reduce your risk for or delay the development of Osteoarthritis.
Injury
Significant injury, such as ligament damage, joint dislocation, and impact trauma can eventually lead to osteoarthritis.
Gender
Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, compared to men.
Weight
Excessive weight can put stress on joints and promote cartilage damage.
Age
Osteoarthritis is more common among the elderly, but even young adults can develop osteoarthritis.
Suggested Lifestyle Changes
Dietary Recommendations:
- Consume enough magnesium as it helps maintain and improve joint and cartilage health. Nuts and green, leafy vegetables are a great source of magnesium and other minerals.
- Some antioxidants, found in fruits and veggies like apples, onions, shallots, and strawberries, may also help reduce joint inflammation and pain.
- Increase dietary collagen intake to support joint health. Food rich in collagen are chicken, egg whites, fish, soy, and more.
Supplement Recommendations:
- Vitamin C aids collagen production required to maintain joint health. Incorporate daily vitamin supplementation to achieve daily requirements.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation has been found to improve cartilage health and recovery, protecting against osteoarthritis in some cases.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis as the excess weight puts too much pressure on the joints and cartilages.
- Incorporate ergonomic practices to improve your posture. A proper posture reduces abnormal loads on the joints which reduces osteoarthritis risk.
- Try heat and ice therapy to alleviate joint soreness. This reduces inflammation in the joints to avoid joint damage.
- Use assistive devices such as braces for affected joints to reduce load and support healing.
Exercise Recommendations:
- Strengthening the muscles with weight training will support and protect your joints. If your joints are painful or swollen it is recommended you take a rest day or two in between workouts.
- Practice proper exercise techniques to avoid excessive joint stress. Consult a physical trainer to ensure proper form.
- Low-impact aerobic exercises are lighter and easier on your joints, for example walking, bicycling, swimming. Try not to strain your joints.
Result Explanation Recommendations:
- Incorporate 30-60 minutes of medium intensity exercises at least 3 to 5 times a week. Examples of exercises are cycling, running, and competitive sports.
- Incorporate resistance training such as weight lifting and bodyweight exercises at least 3 times a week.
- Follow-up weight-training sessions with 30 minutes of cardio exercises such as cycling to improve fat-loss.
- Incorporate intense 30-60 minutes of swimming at least 4 times a week. Swimming has been shown to be the most efficient in burning calories and improving body composition.
- Consume a protein shake after training to both provide energy for recovery and suppress post-exercise hunger. This will reduce your need for a large meal after training.
- Consult a physical trainer to ensure adequate training technique and intensity is followed.