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Musculoskeletal Problems
Obese people frequently develop musculoskeletal problems due to their increase in body weight. These problems include arthritis and other painful joint disorders. Excess weight puts stress on the major weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, knees, spine and ankles. The most common joint disorder associated with obesity is osteoarthritis. In healthy joints, the ends of the bones forming a joint are lined with cartilage, lubricated by fluid and protected by ligaments. When osteoarthritis develops, the increase in pressure or weight through the joints causes the cartilage to deteriorate and abnormal bone growth may occur, resulting in the appearance of bone spurs around the affected joints.
Osteoarthritis is caused by excessive wear and tear of the affected joint and is marked by pain, swelling and loss of flexibility. Aging joints naturally develop osteoarthritis, but obese people typically experience osteoarthritis at much younger ages. Weight loss will not reverse osteoarthritis, but it will help relieve joint pain and possibly slow down the progress of the disease.
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