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Risk factors are things that may make it more likely that you will get a condition. But it's important to remember that having these risk factors does not mean you will get osteoarthritis. We only know that these factors seem to happen more often with people who have the condition.

Age is the most important risk factor for osteoarthritis. About 1 in 10 to 2 in 10 people aged over 60 have osteoarthritis that causes them pain.¹

Being overweight is a risk factor, particularly for osteoarthritis of the knee. It is also a risk factor for hip osteoarthritis. For some reason, being overweight leads to both hips being affected, not just one. If you already have signs of osteoarthritis, being overweight will increase the likelihood that your disease will progress.^{2 3}

Some studies have also found that being overweight is also linked to osteoarthritis of the hand. This suggests that the connection between being overweight and having osteoarthritis goes beyond the fact that extra pounds put additional pressure on the joints. Hand joints are not weight-bearing joints, so something else must be at work here.⁴

Twice as many women as men develop osteoarthritis, mainly in the years after menopause. However, it's not clear how hormones are linked to osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis does seem to run in families, particularly osteoarthritis of the hand and hip and, to a lesser extent, of the knee. With osteoarthritis of the hand, there is more than a 50 percent chance of it being a hereditary condition.⁵ It's thought that the genes involved in making cartilage are not working properly.

Some jobs do carry an increased risk of osteoarthritis. For example, factory workers who do repeated tasks with their thumb and fingers run an increased risk of osteoarthritis.

Heavy physical labor, especially with lifting, can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, as can repeated kneeling and squatting.⁶

Ankle osteoarthritis, which is rare in most people, is common in ballet dancers.⁷

There's some evidence that running and high-impact sports can increase your risk of osteoarthritis of the hip.⁸

African-Americans have the same risk of getting osteoarthritis as white Americans.

Some studies have found a low rate of hip osteoarthritis in black populations in Jamaica and South Africa, and the risk of osteoarthritis among Asian people appears to be even lower.⁴

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.