Arthritis And Obesity

It is very common to see people who are both obese and have arthritis. How did it begin? Which disease caused the other? The possibilities are below.

Obesity/Arthritis- first comes obesity

Being overweight puts extra strain on the joints of the legs like the hips, knees, ankles, etc. This pressure wears away at the cartilage between the bones, as well as at the bones themselves. Although hip pain and damage can be a problem, the most common complaint among obese arthritis sufferers is pain in the knees.

Medical studies seem to indicate that in those people who are obese before they have arthritis, dropping even a few pounds can help out with symptoms.

While joint replacement surgery may help arthritis symptoms, many surgeons are reluctant to operate on obese patients due to the increased risk of complications.

Arthritis and Obesity: Arthritis Comes First

If you are used to eating fairly large quantities of food and then exercising vigorously to work off the calories (units of energy utilized by your body), weight gain may become a problem if the joints in your hips and knees become so sore and stiff you can no longer follow your daily exercise routine.

If you develop symptoms of arthritis, see your doctor. He or she may prescribe oral or topical medications to treat the pain. Your doctor may also suggest injections to the affected joints, physical therapy to keep you active, or joint replacement surgery.

If you do find that it's necessary to reduce your exercise level due to pain, don't forget to lower your caloric intake. If you're still taking in the same amount of food but not getting the chance to burn it off, that will translate to weight gain. Just make sure to get on the scale every couple of days to keep an eye on your weight.

Obesity/Arthritis-and a cause for both

As we have learned, obesity and arthritis have a close correlation. Basically, if someone is suffering from one of them, they are likely to suffer from the other also. However, a "correlation" is not identical to a "causation". To say that there is causation means that obesity causes arthritis, or vice-versa, and that is not the case. The two have a correlation, which means that neither appears to cause the other, but they go together frequently.

Similarly, scientists have wondered if there is a third factor involved in the arthritis/obesity equation that might cause both conditions to develop. Age, for instance, is a risk factor that is associated with both arthritis and obesity. Unfortunately, scientists have not yet uncovered any causative factor that can be prevented.

The best preventative measures for obesity and arthritis seem to be a healthy diet, regular exercise, and checking with your physician immediately if you are having pain which holds you back from your regular exercise.

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