A history of gym trips, a lifetime of painful hips

According to a report from the Netherlands, heavy lifting may increase a person's risk of developing osteoarthritis in one or both of the hips. Now I know why I have always been opposed to heavy work.

Osteoarthritis is the doctor's way of saying "joints worn out from old age." There are very few people who don't experience at least some wearing of the joints by age 80, but some people wear out quicker than others. It is the degeneration of the cushioning material, the cartilage, that causes the condition's characteristic pain and stiffness. If the cushion is gone and the bones rub together, it is not hard to understand that it's going to hurt.

Doctors at the University Hospital in Rotterdam reviewed 16 published studies in an effort to identify possible causes of hip osteoarthritis and determine who is most at risk. The report concluded that heavy work, including lifting, appeared to triple hip osteoarthritis risk.

Go easy on the weightlifting and exercise in general, no matter how old (or young) you are.

Women are especially prone to athletic injuries, because of their body configuration. I happen to like their configuration, but they are not made for violent sports like lifting, running, boxing and football.