MIAMI – Research continues to show that staying physically active is a key factor in reducing the risk of developing arthritis with age.
Dr. Kevin O’Donnell, an orthopedic surgeon with HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, said an analysis of several studies addressed the concern expressed by many of his patients: could high-impact activities like running damage their joints?
“And what they found was in fact there was none, so for those people who are avid runners, who like to get out there and do their 5K’s, 10 miles, whatever it is, know that in the future that certainly does not predispose you to developing any arthritis specifically in the knees or hip joints,” he said.
Just the opposite, O’Donnell said regular activity helps move fluid and nutrients into cartilage, keeping joints lubricated.
And for the second year in a row, birth rates in the U.S. are on the decline.
Government figures released this week show that women are having fewer babies and having them later in life, continuing a decades long trend according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.
The authors of the study noted that women having children over the age of 35 has increased 9 fold between 1972 and 2012.
There’s also been a continued trend toward American’s having children outside of marriage the report found.
According to the report there are several reasons women are choosing to wait including better access to contraception, the status of their finances and relationships, and the desire to purse a higher education or focus more on their careers.