How does Weight Loss Affect Your Knees?

 The functions and importance of knees are known to everyone. Being the largest joint in human bodies, the knee joint connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone).

It is the knees that allow mobility of legs and help you move, run, or sit down. Knees include cartilage, muscles, nerves, and ligaments, like various other joints in the body. Since the knee is a lower body part, your overall body weight may affect the knee health to a great extent. It is crucial to maintain knee health for hassle-free mobility.

In this context, one commonly asked question is does being overweight affect knees? Well, it cannot be denied that being overweight may cause certain knee complications and ignored they may become severe. However, proper weight management can help maintain good knee health. In this article, we will discuss how weight affects your knees and some tips to maintain a healthy weight. 

Knees and Body Weight

Without understanding the relation between your body weight and the knees, you can’t comprehend how weight affects the knees. The overall body weight directly affects the knees and their functioning, especially the mobility of the legs. With increasing body weight, the pressure and stress on the knees increase, which may lead to various health issues like osteoarthritis, inflammation etc.

By losing considerable body weight, one can manage knee pain and the risks of knee inflammation or osteoarthritis. It is also essential to understand that knee pain does not only persist in overweight people. People with healthy body weight may also experience knee pain or other knee complications. In any such case, it is best to consult a doctor.

How Does Losing Weight Affect Your Knees?

For someone who is overweight or obese, losing body weight can help in many ways. Increased body weight not only affects your knees but also various other body parts. It also leads to decreased stamina and strength. Weight loss can directly impact knees, especially if you are suffering from knee problems.

But, how much does losing weight affect your knees? Here is the answer:

Decreased Risks of Knee Arthritis

Research shows that people who focus on losing their excess body weight, especially by at least 20% of their body weight, tend to have decreased risks of knee arthritis. stiffness, pain, and burning sensation while walking or sitting are common symptoms of knee arthritis. When you lose weight, the pressure on the knees decreases thus, better knee conditions.

Better Mobility

People with obesity may have walking difficulties. So, when you lose considerable body weight, the mobility of your knees becomes easier. Activities like walking, joggin, sitting or standing do not feel as difficult as earlier with excess body weight. With decreased body weight, knee pressure also decreases.

Usually, weight loss has a positive body impact on people who are overweight or obese. However, rapidly losing body weight can affect knees in many ways. Aggressively losing weight can sometimes lead to muscle loss, which may affect knee stability. For best results on knee pain, it is advisable to lose body weight gradually by following a holistic approach.