Do you have arthritis in your knees? At some point in their lives, more than half of all adults will develop symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, and the risk increases as bodyweight increases. You may just have some occasional stiffness or discomfort, but arthritis can also make it difficult for you to exercise, work, socialize, and enjoy life. Many of the medications available for arthritis can be hard on the stomach. And taking medicine may help your symptoms, but not their cause. When you blunt your arthritis pain with pain relievers and continue with your normal daily activities, you can actually increase wear and tear on your arthritic knee joints.

It’s easy to understand how a heavy body can put extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees, and ankles. A large belly can also affect posture, pulling the body out of alignment, stressing the back, shoulders, and neck.

What’s more, joint pain can make exercise difficult or even impossible, and since regular physical activity is a healthy habit, you need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to make exercise safe and comfortable.

Many of us have experienced it, and science backs up the fact: Losing weight can ease the pain of arthritis. Researchers in Denmark showed overweight patients with arthritis in their knees experienced a “highly significant increase in function” by losing weight—specifically, body fat. Just a 10% decrease in body weight helped to improve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis by 28%.

Consult Dr. Fantino and her staff about ways chiropractic care can help with your arthritis.

Source:Arthritis Care & Research (2008) 59:9 1207-1213