Although being overweight or obese has been suspected to result in increased risk for arthritis especially at the knee, limited research exists that links weight to increased degenerative change. Until next month when, according to HealthDay News, a study will be published in the journal Radiology implicating excess body weight in the rapid progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Researchers tracked 336 overweight patients previously identified as “at risk” for osteoarthritis of the knee over 30 months. None had significant loss of knee cartilage at the outset of the study, however more than 20% presented with progressive loss of cartilage, while just under 6% were diagnosed with rapid loss of knee cartilage over the course of the study.
The researchers identified 5 factors that appear to have significantly increased risk of developing osteoarthritis, excess weight having the greatest association with rapid degeneration. Statistically, the researchers found that every increase of BMI by one factor increased the likelihood of cartilage loss by 11%.
The other four include cartilaginous tears (i.e. meniscus) or other pre-existing cartilage damage, severe lesions on MRI, inflammation and fluid collection in the knee.
Although exercise training may not completely prevent osteoarthritis it has been found to improve pain and slow progression. Weight loss, however, might be the primary mechanism by which fitness professionals can improve osteoarthritis risk and quality of life amongst people with the disease.
HealthDay News
