My doctor tells me that if I lose 50 pounds, my knees won't hurt so much. I might even be able to avoid or at least delay surgery. Losing weight is very difficult for me. How can I know for sure this will work?
Weight loss can be very difficult for some people. But there are many anecdotal stories and research results to show that obesity does contribute to joint degeneration and pain.
Many patients obtain relief of painful joint symptoms with a combination of treatments. Increasing their exercise and decreasing body weight combined with antiinflammatories or pain relievers has helped many people with joint OA.
In fact, this is the first line of treatment recommended. Some people are even able to stop taking medications after a significant weight loss.
There are many other added benefits reported from weight loss. Decreased fatigue, increased function, and improved mobility are just a few directly related improvements to your joint health. But the risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease also goes down resulting in improved longevity and quality of life.
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