How Obesity Increases the Risk Of Developing Osteoarthritis?

By Nick Mutt


When a person is obese or overweight, they have a high risk of several health problems. Obesity and arthritis can be seen as being related. Obesity is a potential risk factor for the onset and deterioration of musculoskeletal conditions of the knee, hip, ankle, foot and shoulder.

When a person is obese they are at an increased risk for developing osteoarthritis. This form of arthritis is most commonly found in the hands, neck, feet and knees. Osteoarthritis affects these joints when there is a breakdown of cartilage in the joints resulting in the joints rubbing against each other and causing excessive damage.

Connection between Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and arthritis may be connected as increased weight does have an impact on the joints. This weight distribution can be seen as a problem especially on the knees. If a person is obese, it puts a lot of pressure on the knees and feet. In majority of the cases, increased body weight contributes to the increased load transmitted across the weight bearing knees by a factor of three to seven times the body weight and leads to accelerated damage of the cartilage. The load transmitted to the knees varies with increased body weight.

Lose weight or arthritis may just cripple you. If a woman on the heavier side presents herself, her chances of arthritis stands 7 out of 10. Also a consensus of doctors puts the incidence of women being more prone than men at 7 out of 10.

And being a progressively degenerative disorder, arthritis is not fatal but crippling for life. There are two types of arthritis and people often get confused between the two. Rheumatoid arthritis which, according to doctors, is affecting younger women of late, is stated as ‘auto immune disease’ wherein the body’s own antibodies starts fighting against connecting tissues, especially joints. It is so incapacitating that it just cripples a woman overnight and she doesn’t know what to do with herself. For young women of child bearing age, it becomes a crisis.

Physiotherapists feel that are ways of overcoming the pain and subsequent deformities, though to a small extent. Certain orthetic devices have been designed to make the affected person carry out his work independently. There are also some muscles strengthening ways to mobilize joint manually and through electric adjuncts.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

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