How to Avoid Arthritis: 8 Doctor-Recommended Habits for Healthy, Pain-Free Joints
Learn how to feel better, move easier and reduce arthritis pain with these easy doctor-backed tips
If you want to know how to prevent arthritis (or stop arthritis symptoms from getting worse), now’s the time to build habits that support healthy joints. Why? You won’t get a big warning when arthritis starts creeping in—just a stiff knee here, a sore hip there and the feeling that something’s changed.
“It’s not like you tripped or hurt yourself,” says Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD, a Seattle-based physician who treats arthritis and lives with it herself. “It’s more like your joints quietly start talking to you, and suddenly you realize you can’t move the way you used to.”
The good news? “You’re not stuck,” she says. “Even if arthritis has already started, there are things you can do. You can feel better and you can keep moving.”
Woman's World Answers
What is arthritis and who’s at risk?
“Arthritis is inflammation or damage in the joints, the actual space where bone meets bone,” Dr. Baumgaertel explains. “It’s not your muscles or tendons. When that joint space gets irritated or breaks down, it can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced mobility.”
Some forms, like rheumatoid arthritis, are autoimmune and can appear earlier in life. But the most common type, osteoarthritis, often develops gradually due to age, hormonal changes, weight gain, old injuries or even some types of repetitive motions.
How to prevent arthritis or slow it down
While you may not be able to prevent arthritis entirely—especially if you have risk factors like a family history of the condition, obesity or your age—you can take steps to reduce your odds of developing it, delay its onset and slow its progression over time. Here’s how:
Follow a Mediterranean diet
“There are many articles written about the Mediterranean diet, and in general, it’s been shown to reduce arthritis flares in a number of populations,” Dr. Baumgaertel says.
This anti-inflammatory style emphasizes olive oil, leafy greens, beans, whole grains, fish and nuts while limiting red meat, processed food and added sugar. “It’s not about being perfect,” she says. “But if you shift toward those foods, it can be very powerful.”
Stay hydrated
“Our systems need good hydration to function well, including our joints,” she says. “If you’re thirsty, it’s already way too late.” Water helps keep joints cushioned, reducing stiffness and supporting arthritis prevention. “You don’t have to love water, just find something without sugar or other additives in it and make it easy to reach for.”
As for how much? “If you drink five glasses a day, drink more,” she says. “Almost everyone needs more than they’re getting,” especially when it comes to protecting your joint health.
Move your body (even in short bursts)
Exercise boosts circulation, strengthens the muscles that support your joints and helps prevent stiffness. Regular physical activity can also help you with weight management, which reduces pain and strain on your joints.
“You don’t have to be a gym rat or powerlifter,” says Dr. Baumgaertel, who says she walks three miles every day. “I use hand weights—5 to 10 pounds max—because I’m not trying to damage my joints. I’m trying to maintain them.”
She calls short bursts of activity “exercise snacks.” “Even if I have just 10 minutes between meetings, I’ll go downstairs, do a little strength work or stretching,” she says. “It adds up.”
Swap your shoes
“I used to think shoes lasted for years. But someone once told me you should change your walking shoes every six months, and they were right,” she says.
Worn-out shoes lose support, putting extra pressure on knees, hips and the back that can trigger or worsen arthritis pain. “Support matters,” she says. “Your joints will thank you.”
Try an elimination diet
If your joints have started to ache and you’re not sure why, it may be time to experiment with what’s on your plate. Dr. Baumgaertel recommends trying an elimination diet to uncover potential food triggers that can lead to joint swelling or inflammation.
“Your body can still react to certain foods with inflammation, even without a true allergy,” she explains. She usually suggests starting with milk. “Dairy is the most common trigger I see,” she says. “And milk is often consumed daily without people realizing it.”
Cut it out completely for six weeks, then bring it back and see how your joints respond.
Prioritize sleep
Poor sleep interferes with healing and raises inflammation. “If you’re not getting restorative sleep, your body can’t heal. That impacts arthritis,” Dr. Baumgaertel says. “Pain is worse when we’re tired, and we just don’t cope as well. You also want quality over quantity—12 hours of tossing and turning doesn’t count.”
To get the kind of deep sleep your body needs to both help prevent and manage arthritis, check out our top sleep tips here.
Be smart with supplements
“There’s no miracle supplement for arthritis,” she says. “Fish oil might help, glucosamine might help. If it works for you, great. If not, don’t waste your money.” Evidence of the health benefits is mixed. Some people report less joint tenderness with various supplements, but results vary, she says.
Her one must-have? “Vitamin D—I take it myself,” she says. “Most women don’t get enough, and it matters for bone and immune health, too.”
Reduce stress
Chronic tension increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which worsens joint pain and inflammation, disrupts sleep and triggers fatigue. It can even lead to weight gain, too, which puts added stress on joints and makes it harder to manage pain.
“It’s full-body sabotage,” she says. Her advice: “Do something you like to help you unwind. Meditation, walking, deep breathing. Five minutes of quiet is better than nothing.” Discover more ways to reduce your cortisol levels here.
The bottom line: you’re not powerless against arthritis
You may not be able to prevent arthritis entirely, but you’re not powerless against the health condition, either.
“You can’t prove you’ve prevented something that never happened,” says Dr. Baumgaertel. “But if you take a step back and look at the big picture, you’ll see that daily choices—how we eat, move, sleep and manage stress—really do make a difference.”
Over time, she says, those choices add up: less pain, less inflammation and better quality of life.
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