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Those extra pounds on your body can increase your susceptibility to various health complications, but, did you know that these can also contribute to worsening your knee pain? As surprising as it may seem, there is a deep connection between your weight and knee pain, and it won’t be wrong to say that both go hand in hand to alleviate the quality of your life. This blog, by an expert specialising in orthopaedic surgery in Gurgaon, will help you understand how unhealthy body weight can intensify your knee pain.
Why are you experiencing knee pain?
Knee pain is a very common problem, which is experienced by people who have joint wear and tear due to an underlying degenerative joint disease, an injury or joint overuse. It is important to understand that knee pain may not necessarily be linked to the joints and can also be the result of a soft tissue injury, such as, a ligament tear. There may be one or multiple factors involved, simultaneously. Orthopedic doctors suggest that irrespective of what is causing your knee pain, there are several other things that can add to it. Unfortunately, obesity is one of them.
Obesity: A grave problem
Obesity is a very fast-growing epidemic, not only in India but across the globe. The World Obesity Federation has predicted that by 2030, one billion people will be living with the problem. This does not only include adults but small children as well. There are many people who have been glorifying obesity in the name of body positivity, simply overlooking the various health problems and risks that are involved. As per the world health organization, more than 2.8 million people die every year due to obesity or being overweight and this is quite alarming. For those, who are living with it, the quality of their life is severely compromised due to various complications that come along. These include unbearable knee pain as well.
The link between the two
By now, you must have understood that obesity can contribute to knee pain, let’s now try to get into the depth of it and figure out the connection between the two. The knees are the weight-bearing joints. You will be surprised to know that for every pound of weight that you carry, your knees have to bear a load of 4 pounds, i.e. 4 times more. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, the load on your knees will be 640 pounds. Expert specializing in knee surgery in Gurugram suggest that the more weight you put on your knees, the more will be wear and tear. The additional strain will increase the pace of joint degeneration and aggravate your knee pain.
Obesity is also known to increase the risks of conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It can trigger the production of certain hormones and chemicals in the body that can disrupt autoimmune responses, and trigger joint inflammation.
Know what you need to do
When it comes to managing your knee pain, there is no rocket science involved. Let the medicines and treatment do their work while you do what’s best for you and your knees, i.e. get rid of those extra pounds. It won’t happen in a day or two, but you need to be persistent. It is also important to make sure that you are not straining your knees too much.
If you wish to know more about knee pain and its management, consult the experts from Sanar International Hospitals in Gurugram today.
Dr. Rohit Lamba, Head of the Department & Senior Consultant
Bone, Joint Replacement And Orthopaedics
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