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..
Provailen
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