Tuesday, January 7, 2014

How Weight Increases the Risk of Osteoarthritis

The factors that may lead to the development of osteoarthritis are many, health experts say, and one of them is weight. It is imperative to maintain an ideal body weight because the weight of a person increases the rises of having osteoarthritis, according to the University of Washington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Those who are obese may experience more health problems compared to individuals who have a normal body mass index. People with such conditions may also avoid physical activities because the weight of their body gets in the way, which causes the joint problem to worsen.


As early as 40 years old, men and women may already develop symptoms but it is more prominent and common among elderly men and women. The knee and hip joints are the weight bearing joints support the whole weight of the body. Using the joints for certain activities may be more painful as the extra weight adds more pressure to the joints. High impact activities are not advisable because the stress applied to the hip joints is doubled. The added weight may not only contribute to the development of the disease but also its progression. The protective layer covering the joints is lost because of the constant pressure applied to the joint.


Walking, standing or twisting often makes the pain worse. The joint may stiffen and be deformed if it is left untreated. As the joint stiffens, the individual may feel more pain and may have more problems with mobility. Hence, health care providers advise patients to lose weight if they are still able to before the disease progresses to a more serious problem as the pain and stiffness might prevent the individual from exercising.


Osteoarthritis remains to be incurable but there are several treatments that might help delay the progression of the disease. People who have a family history of arthritis are at risk of developing the same problem, hence they are often advised to take care of their joints. Maintaining a proper body weight and avoiding trauma to the joints helps decrease the chances of having osteoarthritis. A hip replacement operation may be taken by a patient if the symptoms are not abated by regular treatments. They may visit the DePuy Hip Recall News Center for more information.



URL References:
orthop.washington.edu/?q=patient-care/articles/hip/osteoarthritis-of-the-hip-hip-arthritis.html
dukehealth.org/orthopaedics/services/hip-treatments/care-guides/hip-arthritis
arthritisvic.org.au/Conditions-and-Symptoms/Osteoarthritis-of-the-Hip-and-Knee
niams.nih.gov/health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Exercise/default.asp

No comments:

Post a Comment