Too Much Exercise In Middle Age May Cause Arthritis

November 30, 2009 7:03 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - A new study suggests that middle-aged men and women who exercise a lot may be putting themselves at risk for arthritis.

Researchers with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a statement released at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, that people engaging in high levels of physical activity could be unknowingly causing damage to their knees and increasing their risk of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting an estimated 27 million Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of the degenerative joint disease include pain, swelling and stiffness.

The study's participants included 136 women and 100 men within healthy weight range, who were between the ages of 45 and 55 years old.

Specific knee abnormalities identified in the participants included meniscal lesions, cartilage lesions, bone marrow edema and ligament lesions.