How your spare tire is attacking your knees
Knee pain seems to be one of those unpleasant ailments millions of folks face as they age. Turns out, it's even more prevalent than we thought.
A new study by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina estimates 46 percent of people will develop knee osteoarthritis in the course of their lives.
As the baby boomer generation moves into its retirement years, the arthritis epidemic will grow. Estimates are that 67 million Americans will be affected by arthritis, and 65 percent of obese people will develop knee osteoarthritis. When I was in medical school I once asked a knee surgeon lecturing to our class how many of his patients were overweight. He raised his eyebrows and said “about 75%”. I just thought to myself how much better off we’d be if we addressed the underlying cause of the problem early on instead of waiting till the only option we think we have left is to go under the knife in the operating room. What a waste!
Arthritis is just one of the many ugly consequences of those spare pounds many folks carry. Bad arthritis – especially when it affects your legs – can really keep you from enjoying the active, independent lifestyle we all want. If you're overweight and haven't been affected by arthritis yet, there's a good chance it's coming if you don't act fast. Sit down with your doc or a nutritionist and develop a diet plan that will work for you.
