RALEIGH, NC. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Osteoarthritis may sound like just another part of getting older. But for millions of women, it can mean years of knee pain, stiffness, and losing the simple ability to get up, get out, and keep moving. The CDC says about 33 million US adults have osteoarthritis. This condition is the leading cause of disability among adults. It’s the third most common diagnosis for inpatient hospital stays, and women are more likely than men to develop it, especially after age 50. Now, a research study is asking a different question: what if some of that damage could be stopped before the pain even starts?
Inside this gym, women are pushing, lifting, and walking toward better health. But there’s a lot more riding on these reps than just a number on the scale or blood test results.
Linda Whitlow says, “Finding out that my cholesterol was high. I had grandchildren coming, so that was huge for me was realizing that, you know, I wanna be around for them and I want to be able to do things with them.
Shannon Mihalko, PhD, Behavioral Psychologist at Wake Forest University told Ivanhoe, “Women are about, almost two times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than men are.”
That’s why study participants Linda Whitlow and Laura Cauble have made a four-year commitment to finally break the cycle.
Cauble says, “What I need is follow-up, and this is a four-year program, and I thought if they’re gonna weigh me once a week for four years, I’m gonna keep it off.”
“We’re now looking at whether we can use exercise and diet in people who are overweight and obese to try to actually prevent knee OA from developing,” explains Professor Mihalko.
OA occurs when the tissues in the joint become inflamed, and the loads on the joint are excessive, resulting in degeneration of the cartilage and surrounding tissue. The result is pain, swelling and loss of motion.
The Wake Forest researchers say losing just one pound can take about four pounds of pressure off your knee with every step you take, adding up to thousands of pounds less stress over the course of a day.
Professor Mihalko says, “We found that we can have even more profound impact with 10 percent weight loss.”
… and more importantly, if you keep it off. The hope is to change how we think about osteoarthritis, not just treating the damage after it happens but helping women prevent it in the first place.
And here’s something many people don’t realize — your knees absorb forces equal to three to six times your body weight every time you walk or climb stairs. Researchers say that’s why even modest weight loss and regular exercise can make a big difference in protecting joints over time.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; & Chuck Bennethum, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/osteoarthritis/index.html
https://news.wfu.edu/2025/01/23/wfu-study-investigating-ways-to-prevent-osteoarthritis-in-women/
https://www.usfamilyhealth.org/health-wellness/health-wellness-tips/joint-health/
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