Will weight loss help an arthritic joint?
Videos
Apr 15, 2016
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Dr. Michael Raab explains the relationship between weight loss and arthritic joints.
Will weight loss help an arthritic joint?
As far as weight loss for an arthritic joint, obviously if you have a joint that is a weight-bearing joint that is arthritic, if you lose weight there’ll be less force across the joint and it won’t hurt as much. So for an arthritic hip or knee, ankle, et cetera, weight loss will obviously be helpful. And that’s something that you want to talk to your family doctor about, your nutritionist, eat right, exercise, and whatever you may need to accomplish that goal is a very good idea in a very simple way to help your arthritic joint and help your overall health. Typically patients are not considered a candidate for a joint replacement if their body mass index or BMI is over 40, because the risk of the surgery increases above 40. So for patients who are obese or morbidly obese, it’s a very good idea to get your BMI down to 40 before any surgery can be even considered.