Find out here how obesity could vigorously affect your joint health.
The stress on the knee joint can increase by up to 40 kilograms with a 10 kg increase in body weight. In essence, carrying more weight strains your body’s weight-bearing joints, such as your knees and hips. Also, additional weight can cause joint pain and stiffness as well as a reduction in range of motion and physical activity levels.
Excess body weight and body fat could lead to one’s joint health in danger. It is necessary for people to understand the relationship between them as it could get as severe as it can. Obesity not only exerts a physical form of pressure on a person but also causes inflammation and other physical health problems and not to mention, sometimes leaving a person bedridden.
Now you might wonder how internal damage could be done when a person is overweight since it seems a mere thing, but the fact is Being overweight makes it difficult for the joints to move, which leads to more wear and tear. This can eventually harm the cartilage, a cushioning material that surrounds the ends of bones in a joint. Arthritis can result from damaged cartilage, which can also cause pain, edema, and stiffness.
Here are a few problems you might want to know when someone is obese. The joint problems are listed below:
- Osteoarthritis- Obesity has been linked to an increased risk of osteoarthritis, although compared to individuals who are not overweight, those who are obese can have substantially greater cartilage wear and tear, which can accelerate the onset of arthritis.
- Gout- The accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints, which results in gout, a painful form of arthritis, has been linked to obesity, according to research. Obesity also increases the risk of gout by increasing the serum uric acid level. A high level of serum uric acid increases the risk of hyperuricemia (a high level of uric acid in the blood). Due to this condition, inflammation is caused in and around the joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis- People with obesity and excess fat tissues release high levels of cytokines, which cause inflammation in joints and increase the chance of this same condition.
- Spinal problems- It is more likely that someone who is overweight might have a bad posture and which often leads to spinal problems. Injury to the spine is also more likely when carrying extra body weight. Furthermore, those who engage in sports and gain weight are more prone to ligament damage and dislocations.
- Pressure on hip and knees- since being overweight adds more pressure on knees, it is more likely that they could face damage to their cartilage.
- Impaired mobility– Researchers and Doctors have said that people who are overweight have comparatively less movement.
- Muscle weakness- The breakdown of muscles can result from carrying extra weight, especially in the lower body. Weak muscles can cause unstable joints and poor joint alignment, which can exacerbate joint injury. Additionally, a later decline in hand grip strength is linked to long-term obesity
“Maintaining an ideal weight and engaging in daily exercise is key to preventing obesity and further joint problems,” It is important for one to keep this inculcated in their mind. A nutritious diet is also seemingly important and a healthy diet can help you to lose weight and reduce inflammation. Stress can also worsen joint pain. There are several things that you can do to manage your stress, such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises. If the pain becomes chronic and it started affecting your daily routine you need to consult with pain physician.
