The Wear & Tear Of Obesity Explained By The Best Knee Specialist In SingaporeMany people are suffering from pain in the front side of the knee when climbing up or down stairs, or while sitting and this is called anterior knee pain. Though people of all ages may suffer from this chronic pain, it is observed that those who are overweight, inactive, and have weak muscles are more likely to face this problem. The condition is worsened due to obesity since the patella and other parts of the anterior knee are subjected to an increased force up to five times the body weight. The best knee specialist in Singapore may be able to help alleviate the pain using muscle strengthening, weight loss, and other methods, without any kind of surgery.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of knee pain are increased pain during activities, after resuming activities, sitting for long periods. The person may feel unstable while walking, pain while bending knee, climbing stairs. The doctor will conduct a physical examination, check the medical history, and usually recommend an x-ray to determine the arthritis level in the knee. If no surgery is required, muscle strengthening is usually recommended to reduce the pain. It is better to start with some home exercises to strengthen and stabilize the knee joint. If necessary therapy may be required for several weeks.
Treatments
Losing weight
Losing weight is the most effective way to reduce knee pain. The doctor will usually suggest modifications in diet. Those who have other medical conditions or diet-related problems should consult a bariatric surgeon or nutritionist. In some cases, exercising can be painful, so it is difficult to lose weight. One option is exercising in a pool, which strengthens the muscles while reducing the pressure on joints. One option to reduce pain is also pain medicines like Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naproxen, and Tylenol. Using a hiking stick, cane, soft knee brace or ice can reduce pain. Aerobics and other exercises may also help.
Exercise
Along with diet modifications, exercise can help a person in weight loss. Some of the recommended exercises are walking, water-based activities, cycling, yoga, and tai chi. These exercises will also make the person more flexible, reduce stress, and increase their strength. Stress leads to inflammation which worsens the knee pain. Some of the other measures which can help in weight loss are reducing food portions, adding vegetables to food, cooking your own food, instead of eating out. Walking after meals, climbing stairs instead of using elevators and walking longer distances will also help in losing weight.
Surgery
Doctors will usually not recommend knee replacement surgery for arthritis patients whose body mass index (BMI) is more than 35-40. Patients with a BMI of more than 35 are far more likely to experience knee pain. The risk of medical complications due to surgery like infection, heart attack, stroke, and death are higher for patients whose BMI exceeds 40 and even the most technically competent surgeon may not be able to help. So the doctor will usually recommend dieting to lose weight. Those who were unable to achieve their weight loss goals through dieting may opt for bariatric surgery.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it is crucial to understand how excess weight can adversely affect your joint and bones. Remember to seek appropriate help where necessary to ease the pressure on your joints, thereby decreasing the probability of developing arthritis.
