Excess Weight Can Put Knee Health at Risk

Excess weight can affect the knees as well as metabolic and cardiovascular health, according to orthopedic surgeon Ihsan Oesman.

Oesman said osteoarthritis results from damage to cartilage and the synovial membrane. The knee is particularly vulnerable because it supports the body’s weight. He said obesity can raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis 2.3 times compared with normal weight, with risk tending to increase as body mass index rises.

The doctor linked the problem to two mechanisms: additional mechanical pressure on the joint and inflammatory factors produced by fat tissue. He described weight control as an important part of protecting knee health.

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OA is arthritis and can affect all joints. In the knee, it is because the knee supports the body.

Oesman distinguished between primary osteoarthritis, generally associated with degeneration, and secondary osteoarthritis, which can follow trauma or another illness. He also identified age, menopause, previous knee injuries, very intensive exercise and bow-shaped or knock-kneed legs as possible risk factors.

He said women’s risk increases with age and around menopause. About 22% of people aged 40 experience knee osteoarthritis, he added, suggesting the condition is being found at younger ages as life expectancy rises and high-intensity exercise becomes more common.

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For women at menopause who have joint complaints, it can be assumed that 70 percent are osteoarthritis.