Weight Management is Vital to Your Health

In the past, experts thought that arthritis limited a person’s activity level, and that the management of a healthy weight was more difficult for those with the disease. It is true that when your joints are painful and you are unable to exercise and move freely, your weight may increase because you are unable to burn calories and maintain lean muscle mass. Although this is true, other connections between body weight and arthritis have been identified.

Studies are now showing that weight gain may be a cause of arthritis, as well as an effect. It is now known that people with excess weight have increased load on their joints, subjecting the joints to accelerated wear and tear. For example, the knee experiences a force three to six times a person’s body weight with each step. Each additional pound of body weight can subject the joints to significant increases in pressure in the weight bearing joints. People who are the most overweight also tend to have more trouble with their non-weight bearing joints, a finding that can not be explained by the theory of increased load on the joints.

More research needs to be conducted to learn more about the weight/arthritis connection. In the meantime, most physicians agree that achieving a more healthy weight may help to prevent the development of arthritis, and it may help reduce pain and disability for those who are already suffering from the disease. Even a small weight loss may help considerably.

WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS

PAIN MEDICATIONS

Related Articles

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.healthra.com/pain/weight-management.htm/trackback
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference "Weight Management is Vital to Your Health".