Body weight, BMI and joint forces
While not everyone who has osteoarthritis is overweight, being overweight is considered a great risk factor for the development and progression of osteoarthritis.
The knees, hips and back are called load bearing joints because they bear the physical load of the body during movement. Carrying excess weight creates an abnormal load for these joints and can overwhelm the joints capacity for self-repair.
Why is weight management important?
The knees are particularly susceptible to excess weight because for each additional kilogram of body weight a person carries there is an extra 4 kilograms of force exerted through the knee joint with every step taken during the day.
For individuals who are overweight Australian treatment guidelines strongly recommend a minimum weight loss target of 5–7.5% of body weight.
It is beneficial to achieve a greater amount of weight loss given that a relationship exists between weight loss and symptomatic benefits. Weight loss should be combined with exercise for greater benefits.
For people of healthy body weight, maintaining a healthy body weight is essential.
Treatment options include
- Osteoarthritis Healthy Weight For Life™ - Find out more
- Healthy Weight For Life™ Essential - Find out more