For those who are susceptible to arthritis, maintaining a healthy body weight is paramount for preventing joint degeneration.
A new study followed 347 overweight individuals with early stages of arthritis over the course of 2.5 years. The researchers found that synovitis increased by 18% in those who gained weight during this time frame, but only increased by 7% in those who maintained a stable body weight. Furthermore, progression of patellofemoral bone marrow lesions was 62% higher in the subjects who gained weight and there was a 53% increase in the progression of cartilage defects in this group.
Conclusions
One possible reason that overweight individuals are more susceptible to arthritis is that increased size places extra stresses on the joints.
Additionally, visceral fat around the belly area has been shown to be highly inflammatory, and arthritis is a disease that is often characterized by unchecked levels of chronic inflammation.
Physical therapists who are treating patients with arthritis could potentially benefit from integrating with fitness professionals in order to combine rehabilitation with a professionally conducted weight loss program.
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