Arthritis Prevention

How to prevent arthritis

Arthritis is not one disease. It covers more than 100 conditions that affect the joints, so prevention depends on the type. These five steps have the broadest public health support.1

Five-step diagram of arthritis prevention steps.

1. Be physically active

The CDC says physical activity can help prevent or delay arthritis.2 For adults, including people with arthritis, it recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and at least two days a week of muscle-strengthening activity. Short sessions of 5 or 10 minutes count.3 See exercise for joint health.

2. Keep a healthy weight

People with overweight or obesity are more likely to get knee osteoarthritis, because extra weight puts more stress on the joints.2 See healthy weight and your joints.

3. Protect your joints from injury

Some joint injuries raise the risk of osteoarthritis later in the same joint. People who have injured the ACL of the knee, for example, are more likely to get osteoarthritis in that knee.2 See joint injury prevention.

4. Do not smoke

Smoking can increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and can make arthritis worse. Free help is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).2

5. Get joint symptoms checked early

For rheumatoid arthritis, the CDC says early diagnosis and treatment help prevent symptoms from getting worse and joint damage.4 For gout, limiting high-purine foods and drinks, such as alcohol, sugary drinks, and red and organ meats, can help prevent flares.5

Questions

Can arthritis be prevented?

Not every case. Age, sex, and family history raise risk and cannot be changed. But the CDC says physical activity can help prevent or delay arthritis, and that being physically active and keeping a healthy weight are ways to lower your chances of getting it.

What is the single best thing I can do?

Stay physically active. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening for adults, including people with arthritis.

This page summarizes public health guidance. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose joint pain. If you have pain, swelling, or stiffness that lasts, see a health care provider.

  1. CDC, “Rheumatoid Arthritis”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/rheumatoid-arthritis/index.html, read November 11, 2026. The page describes arthritis as including more than 100 conditions that affect the joints. ↩
  2. CDC, “Arthritis Risk Factors”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/risk-factors/index.html, read November 11, 2026. ↩
  3. CDC, “About Physical Activity and Arthritis”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/prevention/index.html, read November 11, 2026. ↩
  4. CDC, “Rheumatoid Arthritis”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/rheumatoid-arthritis/index.html. ↩
  5. CDC, “Gout”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/gout/index.html, read November 11, 2026. ↩