Q: What can we do to avoid getting arthritis as we age? What was once an easy run may feel tougher to complete. Painful, stiff or swollen joints are a common complaint among older adults — and for many, they’re the first sign of what may feel like an unavoidable diagnosis: arthritis. And about three-quarters considered joint pain and arthritis a normal part of aging. But arthritis is not inevitable as we age, said Kelli Dominick Allen, an exercise physiologist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

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