With more than 58 million American adults living with arthritis and 39 million among them struggling with their weight, it’s clear there’s a connection between the two conditions. The extra weight we carry bears down on our joints, especially our knees and hips, causing inflammation and pain.
At the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at AdventHealth, we’re all about helping you live a healthier life with less pain and more joy. Read on to learn how finding your healthy weight and maintaining it can relieve and reduce joint pain and more.
Under Pressure
Research found that losing one pound of weight resulted in four pounds of pressure being removed from the knees. That means losing 10 pounds would relieve 40 pounds of pressure from your knees — which will make a tremendous difference on your joint health and your comfort levels.
No Gain, Less Pain
Multiple studies show that losing weight results in arthritis pain relief. One 2018 study found that the more weight you lose, the more pain is relieved. The study of overweight and obese older adults with pain from knee osteoarthritis found that greater weight loss resulted in better outcomes than losing a smaller amount of weight. Losing 10–20 percent of your starting bodyweight can improve pain, function and quality of life better than losing five percent of your bodyweight. Bariatric surgery is a proven method for treating obesity and lasting weight loss. Post-surgery, and as you continue losing weight, you’ll begin to feel relief from your arthritis pain, allowing you the freedom to more easily go about your day.
Reduce Inflammation and Disease Activity
Fat is an active tissue that creates and releases inflammatory chemicals into your body. By reducing fat stores in the body, your overall inflammation will decrease. Research indicates that obesity can activate and sustain low-grade inflammation throughout the body. The inflammation can amplify and aggravate painful autoimmune disorders, such as psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. That said, inflammation reduction can result in decreased disease activity, not only in autoimmune illnesses, but in the comorbid diseases associated with them like heart disease and diabetes.
Delayed Arthritis Progression
Whether you already have arthritis, you can significantly delay its progression and reduce your symptoms by meeting your healthy weight goal. Research suggests that for every 11 pounds of weight lost, you can reduce your risk of osteoarthritis by nearly 50 percent. The best and most effective advice for osteoarthritis is to maintain your healthy weight long term. One way to jumpstart your long-term weight loss goals is with bariatric surgery.
Trust Us to Help You Improve Your Quality of Life
At the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at AdventHealth, you’ll have a team of experts comprised of world-class physicians, nutritionists and psychologists dedicated to helping you reach and maintain your healthiest weight. Our team of experts addresses the needs of your body, mind and spirit to craft a comprehensive weight loss program that works for you in the days, weeks and years to come.
Learn more about our program here. We’re humbled by your trust in us.
