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.
Research has shown that if obesity predates an arthritis diagnosis, even a minimal weight loss may help lower issues caused by arthritis.
Even though a joint replacement operation can really help arthritis sufferers, most surgeons prefer to avoid operating on patients who are obese since they always run a higher risk of surgery 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 and Arthritis: the things that can cause both
We know that obesity and arthritis are closely correlated, but it does not appear that arthritis causes obesity, or the other way around either. It’s true that a person suffering from one is very likely to have the other, but this correlation is not a causation.
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.
Your best bet for preventing arthritis and obesity appears to be eating a regular diet, moving your body on a regular basis, and seeing the doctor right away if you have pain that prevents you from completing your normal exercise routines.
