Diabetes can increase your risk of suffering from arthritis

Researchers from the Nordsjaellands University Hospital in Denmark have found that people with diabetes are 33 per cent more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis -- a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissues at the ends of bones wear down.

If you are unable to manage your blood sugar levels and struggling to rein control over diabetes know that you are harming your bones too. Especially if you are middle-aged with diabetes you are at greater risk of developing arthritis and osteoporosis, in addition to an increased risk of heart diseases, found a study.

Researchers from the Nordsjaellands University Hospital in Denmark have found that people with diabetes are 33 per cent more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis -- a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissues at the ends of bones wear down. They are also 70 per cent more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis - a chronic inflammatory disorder - and 29 per cent more from osteoporosis - a bone loss condition - than their diabetes-free counterparts. This is not all before your sugar levels start to erode your bones you will be plagued with various kinds of nagging aches and pains The study also says that 27 per cent of diabetics might suffer from back pain while 29 per cent from neck and shoulder pain.

This is why exercise is considered an important aspect of diabetes management. Exercises help to keep the blood sugar in check and bones strong, suggests the researchers. For the study, the team analysed the relationship between osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis with diabetes on over 109,200 people -- aged 40 years or older. In fact, an interesting finding was that males who had a higher BMI were more likely to suffer from arthritis.

The study also stated that people who were physically active despite their diabetes had lesser chances of suffering from back pain and other chronic forms of pains. The researchers also believe that it's likely that the chronic pain experienced by people with arthritis may be a barrier to exercising, which is also a risk factor for Type-2 diabetes. Importantly, the researchers speculate that the strong association between rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes is likely to be the result of chronic inflammation or steroid treatment that could lead to Type 2 diabetes.