“Can excess weight trigger rheumatic pain in people?”
I am having a weird pain in my knees and legs. I have also recently gained a lot of weight. Could this be rheumatic pain and could it be due to the weight, or is it something else?
3 Answers
arthritis in knees can be “affected” by weight so weight loss would be ideal
Obesity affects arthritis for two reasons: First, the excess load on your joints can cause pain and discomfort, and second, a number of inflammatory mediators produced in fat affect joint tissues and play a role in pain, just as being overweight is linked to increased arthritis pain, weight loss may help improve arthritis symptoms. Check out this article for more information: https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/reasons-lose-weight-with-arthritis/. In either case, I would advise you to follow up with a rheumatologist for further evaluation, as there can be many different causes for your symptoms and it should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Generally, increased weight can increase pain in the knees and hips in particular. That said, leaner people with RA seem to do better over the long run.
