The Truth About 'Bad Knees': Why Your Family History Isn't Your Destiny
“Bad knees run in my family.”
I hear this at least three times a week. People come to me convinced they’re destined for knee pain because their parent had a knee replacement or their grandmother had arthritis. They’ve accepted their “genetic fate” and are just trying to delay the inevitable.
Here’s what I tell them: Your family history isn’t your destiny. Your movement patterns are.
Let’s start with some truth: Yes, there are genetic factors that influence joint health. Some people have variations in collagen production, cartilage composition, or inflammatory responses. But here’s what the research actually shows: Genetics account for only 30-40% of osteoarthritis risk, while movement patterns and lifestyle factors determine the remaining 60-70% of your joint health destiny. Most importantly, what we call “hereditary” knee problems are actually inherited movement patterns rather than inevitable genetic doom.