I usually lift weights at the gym about three to four times a week. As a young person, I never feel any pain or discomfort in any of the exercises I do. This is normal for most people around my age, and so no one usually thinks that anything bad could come of exercising regularly. When you talk to someone around or over the age of 45 however, they usually complain of some sort of joint pain and or injury that they have sustained over the years. Whether it be a bad back or bum knees, people around 50 years old who have been lifting their whole life are always experience pain when they go to the gym. The most common injury I hear people have is arthritis, which led me to wonder if this could be caused from years of lifting weights. As defined by mayoclinic.org, arthritis is the inflammation of your joints. It can cause great pain and discomfort and is especially prevalent among senior citizens. It is generally known to be caused by wear and tear on the different joints in your body, but sometimes arthritis can be genetic, making it impossible to avoid for some people. It is also known that women are at a higher risk naturally for arthritis than men. The treatment for arthritis can be either physical therapy, drugs, or surgery depending on the severity of one’s symptoms. Arthritis can severely damage quality of life and is something that should be avoided if possible.

According to a journal by Robert Sandmeier, it has been shown that increased athletic activities in animals does not cause arthritis, but the same does not hold true for humans. Sandmeier points to a study of 81 athletes and 900 controls, and results showed slightly increased arthritis in the athletes. Sandmeier also talks about the studies that have been done for weightbearing activities versus non weight bearing ones. For example a runner versus a powerlifter. He mentions another study which showed that 31% of weightlifters started to develop signs of arthritis while only 14% of the runners did. This is difficult to assess however, because powerlifters will naturally carry weigh more, which is also proven to cause arthritis. Most of the studies so far have been very inconclusive, and there is little evidence to show that a strong correlation exists between weightlifting and arthritis. This study also measured soccer players, of whom 29% started to develop arthritis. The authors of this study blame the high rate amongst soccer players on the frequent knee injuries they suffer.

(image via www.clker.com)

Based off the reports and studies examined in this entry, the conclusion can be drawn that participating in physical activity does somewhat increase your chances of developing arthritis later in life. Does this mean that we should all cancel our gym memberships and avoid working out all together? Obviously the answer to that question is no, and this is a case where the benefits of exercising far outweigh the possible consequences. In addition, stopping exercise all together would most likely cause weight gain for most people, which is far more proven to cause arthritis. Until there is a definitive study showing a real correlation between lifting and arthritis, don’t cancel your gym membership or quit your favorite sport.