Arthritis Prevention
Arthritis risk factors
Anyone can get arthritis, but some people are more likely to. Here is the CDC’s list, split into what you can and cannot change.1
Factors you cannot change
- Age. Risk rises as you get older, partly because of inflammation and loss of the muscle that keeps joints stable.
- Sex. Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia; men are more likely to develop gout.
- Family history. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis can run in families.
Factors you can influence
- Weight. Overweight and obesity raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
- Smoking. Raises rheumatoid arthritis risk and can make arthritis worse.
- Joint injury. Can lead to osteoarthritis in the same joint later in life.
- Work. Osteoarthritis is more common in jobs with a lot of bending, squatting, or other repetitive motions.
- Infections. Some infections, such as Lyme disease, staph, and gonorrhea, can cause joint swelling and raise arthritis risk.
The CDC also reports that 1 in 3 veterans have arthritis, compared with 1 in 5 U.S. adults overall.1
Questions
Who is most at risk of arthritis?
Risk rises with age. Women are more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia; men are more likely to develop gout. Family history, overweight, smoking, joint injury, and some infections also raise risk.
Are veterans more likely to have arthritis?
Yes. The CDC reports that 1 in 3 veterans have arthritis, compared with 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. overall, possibly because of injuries during service.
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.
- CDC, “Arthritis Risk Factors”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/risk-factors/index.html, read November 11, 2026. ↩