Dr. David Crawford on the link between obesity and arthritis

Joints carry the weight of the entire body, and Dr David Crawford believes that there is a direct correlation between a person’s weight and their risk of developing arthritis. The more weight a person has to carry, the harder it is for joints to work properly, and this is because joint forces in the hips and knees increase about three times that weight with normal walking. 15 pounds of extra body weight are felt by the knees as an extra 45 pounds, contributing significantly to the accelerated joint wear-and-tear. Therefore, the chance of developing arthritis is strongly associated with body weight and individuals with a high BMI tend to get it at a younger age.

Additionally, obesity may also lead to complications following joint replacement surgery. Obese patients have a higher chance of infection, blood clots, and dislocation following hip replacement. The procedure may also take a longer time when performed on an obese patient, because a longer period of anesthesia is necessary. The recovery may take longer too. While losing weight is not a requirement prior to surgery, as there have been studies that report similar pain relief and overall benefits of joint replacement surgery in both obese patients and those who weigh normally, it is still advisable for obese patients to try to reduce their weight safely and gently whenever possible.

Prevention is always better than cure, which is why even before you develop arthritis, it is recommended that you maintain a healthy weight, which you can achieve by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting adequate rest all the time. Dr. David Crawford believes that even individuals with joint problems can lose weight safely by doing exercises with a gentle range of motion and do not put a lot of pressure on the joints, such as yoga, swimming, or walking.