So Good For The Knees
July 28th, 2005 by Y.G.MedicineNet publishes an article about how Weight Loss Takes Load Off Knees:
WEDNESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) — Losing just one pound of body weight results in a four-pound reduction in the load placed on the knee joint each time a person takes a step, according to a new study of overweight and obese people.
The findings suggest weight loss could help slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis.
The 18-month study included 142 overweight and obese adults over 60 years of age, all of whom were diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis and placed on weight-loss programs.
By the end of the study, participants had lost an average of two percent of their body weight and lowered their body mass index (BMI) by 3 percent.
Reporting in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, researchers at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, N.C., found that for every pound of weight lost, there was a four-pound reduction in the load on the knee for each step.
I already knew that losing weight can of course be only beneficial for one’s joints (besides, it’s only a matter of simple logics!), but seeing it compared in clear terms is always an interesting things. Works better when it’s not only some kind of abstract notion, right?
