Why Weight And Joint Pain Are Correlated?

If you experience an occasional bout of joint pain while walking or have fears of getting arthritis because it runs in the family, your concerns are not unfounded. However, getting concerned is not the only thing you can do about it. Keeping your weight under check is also a step for preventing the onset of joint pain. If the joint pain goes untreated, you may have to undergo joint replacement. It is the ultimate way for joint pain treatment.

How does weight influence the joints?

Being overweight can double your risk for arthritis. It is a common disorder caused by the wear and tear of the joint. Excess weight is known to put additional stress on the joints. That is not the only way they affect the joints. Inflammation of the joints may be caused due to weight gain as there is increased stress on the joints.

The weighty issue of joints 

When you walk on level ground, the pressure on your knees will be 1 and a half times your body weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, the pressure on the knees will be around 300 pounds. If you walk on an incline, the pressure will be even greater. When walking on an incline, the pressure on the knees is two to three times your body weight. It is up to 4-5 times the body weight if you squat to pick up something or tie your shoelaces. So you see, your knees have a lot of pressure to handle if you are overweight. Losing weight will reduce the pressure on your knees and help protect them. Even a weight loss of 10 to 15 pounds will mean less risk of osteoarthritis in later life.

How to lose weight?

Increasing physical exercise will give you more returns than just decreasing your weight. Burning a few calories daily will help you shed a lot of weight after a month. Eating fewer calories will also help. You could opt for intense short-termed workouts like aerobics or extended low-intensity activities like brisk walking. Both will be beneficial to you. You will have to be careful about controlling your food intake. Indulging in a scoop of ice cream or a dip in the cookie jar is likely to nullify your precious efforts. Keep the calculation in mind that a few extra calories each day will mean a good amount of extra weight at the end of the year. So calculate your calories before you eat and exercise.