Nearly 10 million French people suffer from it. Considered as the disease of the elderly, osteoarthritis is experienced as a fatality. This degradation of the cartilage of the bones at the level of the joints would therefore be linked to natural aging. The cartilage has a double function of sliding the bone parts and absorbing shocks for the bones.
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and relayed by the magazine Point challenges this popular belief. By comparing current data with data from the pre-industrial era, the researchers found that the number of cases of knee osteoarthritis had doubled in 50 years.
Our sedentary life would be the cause. Neglecting physical activity promotes the thinning of articular cartilage. Sport also strengthens the peri-articular muscles and therefore relieves friction between the bones.
Another aggravating factor is our diet. Too rich in sugar and fat, it causes chronic inflammation in the joints, mainly in the morning and in the second part of the night.
Therefore, the message from doctors and researchers is simple. Each of us can fight against the onset or aggravation of the risk of osteoarthritis. By moving and watching his meals.
