Benefits Of Weight Loss in Arthritis - Lose More to Gain More
Obesity is a nationwide epidemic and we
hear about the danger from it every day on the news. New research shows that
the obese (overweight) individuals are up to four times as likely to develop knee
osteoarthritis as they are to develop high blood pressure or type-2 diabetes.
The danger to health and quality of life is insidious: at every stage, excess
body weight both increases the level of pain and disability and undermines the
effectiveness of treatment. Also, whereas high blood pressure and diabetes may
be substantially improved on losing weight and are relatively easy to control
with therapy, osteoarthritis is irreversible.
Importance of
achieving & maintaining normal weight in arthritis
Maintaining a recommended weight or
losing weight if they are overweight can lessen pain by reducing stress on the
affected joints. Weight loss specifically helps ease pressure on weight-bearing
joints such as the hips, knees, back and feet.
Increased body weight is a serious
factor in the development of osteoarthritis (OA), particularly in the knees,
which carry the brunt of weight day in and day out. In fact, for every pound a person gains, add
3 pounds of pressure on the knees and six times the pressure on the hips. Since
weight gain gradually increases the stress on joints, the weight gain the
decade before a person has OA symptoms, particularly in middle age, plays a big
role in determining if they will have OA. If the patient is overweight, work
with them to devise a weight-loss plan that includes eating fewer calories and
increasing physical exercise. Make sure they are getting enough nutrients to
keep their body healthy and that the activities they choose don’t harm their
joints.
Research has shown that losing extra
weight can help people who already have osteoarthritis. Moreover, overweight or
obese people who do not have osteoarthritis may reduce their risk of developing
the disease by losing weight.
Conclusion
In short, weight control is important
to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts extra pressure on some
joints and can aggravate many types of arthritis. Achieving a healthy weight
reduces the risk of developing the disease in the first place, relieves
existing symptoms and helps to prevent further deterioration..
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