Weight Loss May Be Key to Avoid Joint Replacement Surgery

Examiner.com—January 24, 2011   

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last year that demand for joint replacement will grow dramatically by 2030.  The agency expects total hip replacements to grow by 175%. Demand for knee replacements will grow by six times the present demand.

But before surgery you might want to consider losing weight.   A recent study of more than 38,000 patients in Australia found that there  was a direct correlation between weight loss and the need for joint replacement.  The correlation was especially strong for knees.

Even a small weight loss can help. According to Dr. Geoffrey Westrich of Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, being 50 pounds overweight  puts 250 pounds of additional pressure on the joints.  Conversely losing 3 pounds can subtract 6 pounds of pressure.

Read the full story at Examiner.com.