Why Weight And Joint Pain Are Correlated?

If you experience an occasional bout of joint pain while walking, or you 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 for long, 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 risks 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 about joints 

When you walk on the level ground, the pressure on your knees will be 1 and half times your body weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, then the pressure on the knees will be around 300 pounds. If you are walking on an incline, the pressure will be even greater. The pressure on the knees when you are walking on an incline is two to three times your body weight. It is up to 4-5 times the bodyweight if you squat down 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 in protecting them. Even a weight loss of 10 to 15 pounds will mean less risk of osteoarthritis in later life.

How to lose weight?

Increasing your physical exercise will give you more returns than just decreasing your weight. Burning a few calories every day will help you shed a good amount 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. Controlling your food intake is something which you will have to be careful about. 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 little number of 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.