According to the Huffington Post, a study from Gallup-Healthways found that 26 percent of American adults suffer from a leg or knee condition. One-third of those in their mid-50s and older suffer from chronic knee and leg pain.
One of the reasons for this is osteoarthritis (OA). In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that nearly 50 percent of people develop symptomatic OA of the knee by the time they reach 85. Two out of three people who are obese may develop symptomatic knee OA during their lifetime.
Unfortunately, OA isn’t the only thing that causes knee problems. If you are looking to prevent knee pain, check out these six habits that can make knee problems worse.
1. Being Overweight
While you can still be absolutely stunning if you are overweight, weight can affect your knees. According to WebMD, each pound of body weight that you carry equates to five pounds of weight on your knees. As a result, any excess weight can put a lot of strain on joints. Plus, being overweight increases your risk of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.