Weight Management

About

The relationship between body weight and knee pain is well established in both clinical research and everyday experience. As one of the primary weight-bearing joints in the body, the knee is especially vulnerable to the effects of excess weight. Even a modest increase in body mass can significantly raise the amount of pressure placed on the knee during walking or other activities – up to four times the added body weight with every step. Over time, this increased load can contribute to joint pain, inflammation, and a greater risk of developing or worsening osteoarthritis.

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a top priority for people diagnosed with knee OA. For an overweight patient, losing weight will unload the joint, reduce pain and improve the knee’s function. It will also decrease the rate of degeneration, improving the natural lifetime of the knee.

The easiest way to get a rough indication is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). A BMI of 25 or above refers to those who may be considered overweight. Patients with a BMI of between 30 and 35 have a significantly higher chance of developing knee OA compared to those with a BMI in the normal range (18.5-24.9). This relationship is mainly due to the increased mechanical load on the knee joints, as well as metabolic factors associated with excess fat tissue that may contribute to joint inflammation.

Most of the well-established weight management programs have components where a participant meets or engages online with peers in the program in the form of a group exercise class. Evidence shows that participants who work with others with similar goals are more likely to stay engaged and motivated, achieve better results, and maintain their new weight for longer.

Being able to maintain a healthy weight combined with consistency in exercise will also be helpful in preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension.

Be Aware

Providing good nutrition is achieved, your exercise is well-guided, and your weight does not fall below the healthy weight recommendations, there are no risks to losing weight.

Having existing knee pain can occasionally complicate partaking in exercise. As such, it is important to undergo a guided exercise program by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. It is important to understand that mild pain is not a reason to stop or not do exercise, however you should not exercise through unusual pain or strong discomfort.