Obesity's Effect on Bones and Joints

Obesity, as we are all aware, is on the rise in the United States.  Oversized portions at restaurants, cheap junk food, and the lack of inactivity are some of the factors creating the obesity problem.  The effects result in life-shortening conditions including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, sleep apnea, and cancer.  Excessive weight can even affect your bones and joints.

Obesity accelerates the wear and tear on the joints and spine.  In particular, osteoarthiritis of the knee is increased.  Osteoarthiritis refers to a type of arthritis caused by wear and tear.  People who are obese have difficulty squatting, running, jumping, even walking.  The reason obese people struggle with these things is because of the amount of force being put on the patella (kneecap) is about three times your body weight.  That means a person weighing 200 pounds is putting up to 600 pounds of pressure on their knees just from walking!  When other more intense activity is taken on, such as climbing stairs, running, jumping, the force can reach 6-10 times the person's weight.  So that same 200 pound person could be exerting 1200-2000 pounds of force during activity!

When it comes to knee and hip replacements, obese people's replacements wear faster, necessitating additional revisions.  While research shows that obese people experience high, short term, satisfaction with their replacements, they do have more complications in the perioperative period, including anesthetic difficulties, blood clots, infections, and medical problems.

Overall, obesity is extremely damaging to the musculoskeletal system.  It is important to try and maintain a healthy weight throughout your entire life so that you can enjoy an active lifestyle.

Marquez Orthopedics
www.drraulmarquez.com
(956) 668-0060
2402 Cornerstone Blvd.
Edinburg, Texas 78539