Video:Weight and Arthritis
with Dr. Roy DavidovitchBeing overweight, even moderately, can stress joints and increase arthritis pain. This video explains why it's important to maintain an active lifestyle in order to reduce your pain.See Transcript
Transcript:Weight and Arthritis
Hi I'm Dr. Roy Davidovitch, an orthopedic surgeon at the NYU Langone Medical Center, here for About.com. In this video, I will be talking about weight and arthritis.
How are Weight and Arthritis Related?
People who are prone to develop arthritis can have their conditions potentially develop much faster, and their conditions can be more painful and more uncomfortable for them if they are overweight. Losing weight doesn't prolong the life of the joint necessarily, but it does make arthritis patients more comfortable.
Joint Replacement Surgery Does Not Automatically Cause Weight Loss
Joint replacement surgery doesn't automatically bring weight loss. A lot of patients come to me and they say, "I'm looking forward to having a joint replacement, it will allow me to finally lose weight." As a matter of fact research has shown that weight loss doesn't automatically come with surgery.
Joint replacement surgery doesn't increase activity levels unless the patient is motivated to have a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet, decrease their caloric intake and increase their exercise levels. All of these things together will decrease weight. Having a comfortable joint that glides smoothly without arthritis can help and facilitate that, but will not in and of itself bring about weight loss.
Maintain a Healthy Weight to Reduce Your Arthritis Pain
In conclusion, being at an optimal weight level is a good idea if you have arthritis. There's a good possibility that it will reduce your pain, and make your conditions easier to manage.
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