Everything Related to Orthopedics
Posts tagged joint replacement
Obesity and Joint Pain
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Obesity can cause a plethora of health issues including heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems and early onset of arthritis, just to name a few. Obesity is sweeping the nation like an epidemic and the problems that come along with it are multiplying. Over the last 30 years, the obesity rate in the United States has doubled and it is now estimated that 30% of Americans are considered obese.
Along with many other health issues, it seems as though obesity is causing a much younger pool of patients to suffer from arthritis, eventually resulting in joint replacement surgery. Wear and tear on our joints is part of life and as we age, it is inevitable that there will be cartilage loss resulting in some pain and stiffness. Obesity however, increases the chance of developing arthritis and developing it much earlier in life. For every 15 extra pounds you carry, your knees feel 45 pounds of weight. To be considered obese, your BMI is 30 or higher. Consider this – if you are 50 pounds overweight, your knees feel about 150 pounds of extra weight.
Weight loss is the most obvious solution to relieving joint pain, but not always the easiest. In order to reduce your chances of developing arthritis, you don’t have to lose 100 pounds. Studies have shown that losing just 11 pounds can help reduce your risk of developing arthritis by 50%. Weight loss can be even more difficult when dealing with painful joints but it is still possible. The key is to find low impact exercises like swimming or cycling. It is important to keep moving and attempt to lose weight even before arthritis may set in. Obesity can cause complications during joint replacement surgery, should that need arise. Recovery is longer in heavier patients and the implants may not have as long a life span.
Younger Patients Receiving Joints
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It’s no surprise that as the baby boomer generation ages, the joint replacement market thrives. An emerging trend in joint replacement however, is the amount of younger patients going under the knife. Fifteen or twenty years ago, knee or hip replacement surgery was reserved for patients over the age of 65, most of who suffer from arthritis. Now, patients much younger than 65 are heading in to their doctor’s office for a consultation on having joint replacement surgery.
There isn’t one factor necessarily that is contributing to this trend, rather a unique combination of them. There is no doubt that materials used in joint replacement have been vastly improved upon over the decades. The technology used by surgeons now is on a level never before seen in this field. There are some implants that developers are saying can last a patient up to 20 or even 30 years. With this improvement in technology, younger, more knowledgeable patients are turning up willing to have the surgery. Another contributing factor is obesity. The obesity rate in the United States is staggering and among other health issues, obesity wreaks havoc on a person’s joints.
The final factor in the increase of younger patients having joint surgery is an increase in activity levels. There are more people over the age of 50 that are staying active longer than ever before. More focus has been put on staying healthy, exercising and being active no matter what your age. While this can help shed extra pounds and increase overall health, the possibility for injury is also increased. All of these factors have been working together as a majority of our population ages giving a larger range of patients suffering the option to regain their lifestyle.
