Health and fitness expert, Dr Garry Egger, looked at the link between obesity and pain in the knees, hips and ankles. Garry says it’s no coincidence that as Australians get fatter, complaints about arthritis increase. There are genuine cases of arthritis that need special medical attention, but for many people, putting on extra weight could be the real cause of the problem.
Garry placed an apple, then a melon on two matchsticks, to show what happens when we get too fat. Arthritis causes a degeneration of the cushioning between the joints, but as Garry explained, that degeneration can also be caused by extra body weight pushing down and putting pressure on the joints. He demonstrated this using two bones and some plasticine, pushing them together to simulate the grinding of the joints and the damage to the cushioning between them.
What to do
Losing some weight may help to take the pressure off the joints. Garry said the best way to lose weight is to do regular exercise, such as walking. If walking is too painful for you, try one of the following:Instead of one long walk, do several shorts walks and add them up over the course of the day. Walk waist deep in water, to take the weight off the knees and ankles. Do a weight supportive exercise, such as cycling.
Further information
Dr Garry Egger started GutBusters, a scientifically based program which uses waist measurement, not weight, as an indication of fat loss in men. To contact GutBusters phone 1800 674 688, or visit their website: http://www.gutbusters.com.au