Rising Obesity Rates = Rising Knee Replacement Rates

As the obesity rates continue to rise, experts explain that the rate of knee replacement surgeries is also rising. Carrying around excess body fat tends to place a lot of extra stress on the knees, which is what many experts are contributing as the cause for the sudden increase in knee replacement surgeries.

After reporting their curiosity with the realization that knee replacement surgeries were starting to become more common than hip replacement procedures, researchers conducted a study (published in the June issue of Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery) to explore why. In order to conduct their study, researchers analyzed 10 years worth of national data (collected through 2009) on total knee and hip replacements. After looking at the number of procedures performed, lengths of hospital stays, in-hospital deaths, and orthopedic trends, the researchers concluded that a rather alarming 95% of the increased demand for knee replacements could be attributed to weight problems. Researchers also confirmed their observation that knee replacement were becoming more common than hip replacements; finding that total knee replacement rates more than tripled between 1993 and 2009, while hip replacement rates only doubled.

In addition, the study also revealed that knee replacements rates were much higher in those who were overweight or obese. Researchers also noted that there seems to be an emerging trend with a somewhat sudden rise in the frequency of knee replacement surgeries being performed on those belonging to younger generations; finding that knee replacements rates climbed 56% for those between the ages of 18-64. …which is also being attributed to the rising obesity rates combined with a lack of physical activity.

Here at Mountainside Medical Equipment we understand how painful and debilitating knee pain can be. Check out the knee section of our website for a collection of products that are designed to help provide pain relief, keep your knee in shape, and help improve your mobility, overall improving your quality of life.

Source:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_146673.html