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Can Obesity Cause Knee Pain – Minimizing The Pain

Does Obesity Cause Knee PainIf obesity is new to you, one of the first things you notice once you have piled on the weight, besides clothes no longer fitting, is acute pain in one or both knees. Can obesity cause knee pain like this or is it simply age relevant or the start of tendinitis?. These are questions most obese people face once their knees start to ache.

Knee pain can happen to anyone which makes it hard to self diagnose. Maybe you have pain in your knees every time you go up or down the stairs? Is it uncomfortable to sit for long periods because your knees or legs hurt? Can knee pain be the direct result of being obese?.

Web MD says a study in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma points to knee dislocations, torn ligaments, more severe problems, and staying longer in the hospital with surgeries as a result of being obese. People with larger legs should also consider plus size knee braces to help counteract the extra body weight.

Treating Knee Pain

Because obesity can affect your knees its very important to do something about it. The first port of call is to speak with your medical profession for an individual attack plan. However as more and more Americans are becoming obese year by year, learning more about possible treatments and exercises which are low impact on the knees is also important.

Below you can learn more about the problems obesity causes to our knees, how an obese knee brace can benefit you and also what exercise equipment you should be using to minimize impact on your knees.

Obesity Causes Many Kinds Of Knee Pain

The University of Michigan says pain in the front of the knee is typical in people with arthritis. Obese individuals are more likely to have pain in this part of the knee because additional weight increases the force of body weight on the patella by as much as five times what the person weighs.

Someone that weighs 150 pounds is likely to apply 750 pounds of pressure on their knees while someone that weighs 300 pounds is going to double that. 1500 pounds of body weight force on the knees is certainly going to make a noticeable impact compared to someone half their size.

Swelling of the knees is not unusual either for people that are overweight and as a result, can cause other painful issues like stiffness and loss of range of motion.

Symptoms An Obese Person May Encounter

  • Intense pain when moving after long periods of sitting or standing
  • Balance issues when walking
  • Pain when using stairs
  • Inability to move or bend the knee like normal
  • Stiffness in the joint
  • Pain traveling up and down the leg
  • Hip discomfort or pain

Obesity Knee Pain BracesObesity Knee Pain Brace

An obesity knee pain brace for overweight individuals can provide support and reduce the pain one feels. These supportive devices let individuals get through the workday or a full exercise routine. The Mayo Clinic says knee braces provide support for people with osteoarthritis.

What is osteoarthritis?

This condition causes more damage on one side of the knee than the other. It makes uneven leg issues worse for some people. Osteoarthritis can make people look bowlegged. Being obese makes you a prime candidate for osteoarthritis, not only in the knees but also the fingers, hands and wrists.

How A Knee Brace Helps Obese People

The brace takes pressure off of the knee by reducing the weight on the joint. The medical giant says these supportive devices make it easier for someone to stand up and down. They can also help a person walk further.

What options are there if the pain persists?

  • Cortisone shots
  • Weight loss to reduce amount of pressure on joints
  • Anti-inflammatory pills like Motrin
  • Injecting gel into the knee
  • Radiofrequency ablation treatments

Will Losing Weight Reduce Knee Pain

The Cleveland Clinic says losing five pounds takes 25 pounds of pressure off of the knee joint. One of the best ways for people with knee issues to lose the weight is with swimming or water aerobics. The water provides resistance helping build muscle. Not everyone has access to a swimming pool, so low impact exercises are recommended also.

 

Best Low Impact Exercise Equipment For Overweight People

#1 Treadmill Workouts For People With Knee PainLow Impact exercise Equipment

Treadmills are among the top picks for people having trouble with knee pain. The custom options for incline angle and speed give each individual the ability to personalize the workout.

However an obese persons heeds a high weight capacity treadmill with adequate suspension shocks to enable cushioning for your joints like the knees.

If the knee starts hurting in the middle of the workout, a simple push of the button can tone down the intensity and moderate the routine. This action can help some individuals push through and complete the exercise regimen when struggling.

#2. Elliptical Trainers

Elliptical machines are something that many people love and a few dislike. Some people experience no problems and can work out easily with the oval motion. Other individuals find the workout painful causing the knee to swell and ache for days.

However, this workout doesn’t require any direct hard surface impact compared to a treadmill. So the extra cushioning does provide relief for the feet and the knees. Elliptical trainers for heavy people have come a long way and are certainly worth considering for a low knee impact workout.

A good idea is to start out slowly with these machines and try a small workout and don’t push yourself too hard in the beginning. Let your body work its weigh up the tension levels and let your knees adjust to the pressure.

Recumbent Exercise Bikes For Knee PainExercises For Knee Pain

Recumbent exercise bikes are a good option for people who have lower back, leg, and knee pain. These machines let you perform a workout without using your hands, so you are more likely to stick to the regimen because you can play a game on your cell phone or watch videos while exercising.

It’s best to choose a model with many adjustments and thick padding for the best chance of pain-free exercise. Recumbent bikes are ideal for heavy people as they can allow you to feel more comfortable sitting on a wider seat compared to a standard upright bike.

Make A Weight Loss Plan

Losing Weight To Relieve Knee Pain

Harvard University says to break down the math to figure out how much weight you want to lose. A person must burn approximately 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. Breaking this number down by the week means losing 500 calories a day through diet and exercise.

To do this, the education authority says people should drop 250 calories a day from the diet and workout long enough to lose 250 calories. When its put down on paper like this, it feels much more achievable. The only part missing is you and a low impact piece of exercise equipment.

Use Quality Footwear Alongside The Knee Brace

Good shoes stand up to intense exercising and working. The more the footwear stays intact, the more support it provides the feet which in turn help cushion the knees. Proper shoes take pressure off from the knees making it possible for obese people to work long hours. Working out is much more comfortable when using supportive workout shoes.

 

Obesity Causes More Than Knee Pain

While your knee pain may be more prevalent right now, there’s more underlying issues that are associated with obesity. With the above guidance, knee braces and low impact exercises, you may be able to reduce your current knee pain. So once you are more knowledgeable in this area, its a good idea to consider the other health risks of being obese.

A very good example of a health risk that’s dominated by obese people is Fibromyalgia. Arthritis.org says 80 percent of people who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia also fall into the obese category. This number is significantly higher than the number of healthy people who have fibromyalgia. Additionally, obese individuals with this condition have more pain complaints than fibromyalgia patients at a normal weight.

Other Conditions Prominent in Obese People

  • Sleep Apnea and snoring.
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • High Cholesterol
  • Pancreatic, liver and gallbladder issues
  • Psoriatic, Osteoarthritis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Lupus
  • Gout

How To Reduce Knee Pain When Obese

Losing weight and supporting the joints are two things overweight individuals can do to relieve knee pain.Losing weight is an on going battle for any person that is either overweight or obese. So it’s certainly easier said than done.

But with the addition of an action plan as stated above, burn 250 lbs a day and reduce 250 calories a day breaks it down into manageable chunks. Doing so can relieve the pain associated with your knees as a result of extra body weight.

Braces reduce the weight on the knee when wearing. Losing ten to fifteen pounds can result in massive reductions in knee pressure. Even a five-pound loss is significant enough to relieve five times the force on the knee. The main thing is to keep trying as best you can to reduce the force impacting your knees.

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  1. Just a question on this, the knee pain is due to any ailment or generally because of weight? If a person has knee pain what kind of workout he can do?

    • bigman says:

      The cartilage around the knee helps knees to glide smoothly and when you’re a heavier person, extra force of 4-5 times your body weight is being applied to the cartilage. The damage to the cartilage from the excessive amounts of pressure can cause extreme amounts of knee pain.