Obesity and the musculoskeletal system. Osteoarthritis and obesity: clinical and pathogenetic relationships What kind of pain is body weight

24.11.2017

Treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is unthinkable without normalizing body weight. Being overweight increases the load on your joints and spine. Let's look at how excess weight affects joints. If we think of it figuratively, an overweight person can be compared to a loader who carries excessive weights from place to place every day. Moreover, the greater the excess mass, the greater the load. Naturally, by the evening, a person who has been carrying heavy loads will become more tired and may experience pain in the back and joints. Over time, arthrosis of the joints develops, the cartilage layer wears off, reducing the friction of the articular surfaces against each other, irreversible changes occur in the cartilage tissue of the joints, and the arch of the foot becomes flattened.

The effect of excess weight on the spine follows the same principle. Carrying “heaviness” every day in the form of excess weight leads to back pain and the development of spinal osteochondrosis. The spinal column loses its flexibility and mobility, and as a result, spinal hernias may appear. Depending on the distribution of fat deposits, the center of gravity may shift, which also adversely affects the condition of the spine. Curvature of the spine (lordosis) may develop.

At the Gorny Sanatorium you will receive advice from a nutritionist and psychotherapist, learn the basics of proper nutrition and increase your physical activity. The main goal of our program is not short-term weight loss through diets and exhausting exercises in the gym, but the formation of correct eating behavior, increasing physical activity, and developing the psychology of being slim. Instead of excess fat mass, you will acquire a reliable muscle corset that holds your spine.

The program includes:

• consultation of specialists;
• physical activity, developed individually, taking into account age, concomitant diseases, and general condition of the patient (physical therapy, swimming, training on exercise machines);
• physiotherapeutic methods of influence;
• climatotherapy, walks in the fresh air;

Behavioral attitudes acquired during a course of treatment in a sanatorium will help you avoid “food temptations” when visiting, attending holiday dinners, and in other everyday situations. This will help consolidate and improve the results achieved during treatment at the sanatorium. When weight is normalized, the load on the joints and spine inevitably decreases. This has a beneficial effect on the general condition of patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

In addition to a wellness program aimed at weight loss, exciting excursions await you. The picturesque surrounding nature, friendly staff, comfortable rooms, modern equipment will help you have a good rest and escape from everyday worries.

If bones and joints crunch, this is not a harmless thing at all.

If you look into it, you can find out that this is often a harbinger of a serious illness.

Our joints should move silently and imperceptibly to us.

This is ensured by the production of synovial fluid during movement, which acts as a joint lubricant.

A crunching sound occurs when the cartilage tissue is damaged and less fluid is released. Because of this, friction occurs, which over time can develop into joint disease and even lead to disability.

Why do our joints crack?

Joints crack most often for the following reasons:

Other reasons

Also, the cause of crunching throughout the body or in a separate part of it may be:

1. Injuries – when bones are cracked or broken, the tissues and blood vessels adjacent to the joint are also damaged, resulting in inflammation that makes it difficult for the joints to move.
2. Infections.
3. Lack or excess of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle often leads to muscles weakening and atrophying. As a result, the ligaments and joint apparatus as a whole suffer. If a person is regularly exposed to excessive physical exertion, for example, during sports or during work that requires constant standing or carrying heavy loads, then this can also trigger the appearance of crunching in the joints.
4. Poor nutrition - people who abuse meat, chocolate, strong tea or coffee, spicy or salty foods and sweets may experience crunching.
5. Excess salts in joints is often a problem for people living in areas where drinking water contains high amounts of mineral salts.
6. Joint hypermobility is too much joint mobility, most often observed in young women and associated with the production of altered connective tissue protein – collagen – in their body.
7. Inflammation in muscle tissue that occurs after overload.
8. Wear of joints.
9. Overweight.
10. Impaired metabolism.

This may occur because dissolved gas accumulates in the synovial fluid, which, increasing in volume, makes a clicking sound. The interval between such sounds should be at least 15 - 20 minutes.

Another reason for a normal crunch lies in a ligament or tendon touching a bone fragment protruding forward. At the same time, a dull click is heard.

If you suffer from a crunching sensation all over your body

The sounds that joints make are inherently a signal of their destruction and the presence of a risk of developing arthritis and similar diseases.

As a rule, joint damage occurs in a specific part of the body, but it also happens that the whole body begins to periodically crunch.

This is usually a consequence of joint hypermobility and is due to genetic inheritance.

Development of pathology in different parts of the body

Crunching in different parts of the body indicates the presence of problems in that area.

There are:

1. Unpleasant sounds in the shoulder. Often the cause of this phenomenon is excess movement, which results in joint hypermobility. The ligaments weaken and painful clicks appear. This factor is transmitted at the genetic level, so it is impossible to get rid of it. The only solution to this problem is to comply with preventive measures, which consist mainly of avoiding overload and hyperextension of the ligaments. Crunching can also occur due to arthritis or other joint diseases.
2. Clicking in the hip joint. If the cause of the crunching was not injury, then this may indicate arthrosis of the joint. As a result of this disease, hardening and death of joint tissue occurs, as well as limitation of their mobility. Also, the cause of clicking in the hip joint can be coxitis or coxarthrosis, that is, inflammation or degeneration of cartilage tissue.
3. The joints in the knees click. Normally, this area of ​​the body should not make a crunching sound. The presence of this symptom indicates health problems. It is important to promptly determine the cause of extraneous sounds in the joints and begin proper treatment. The cause of a crunch in the knee, accompanied by pain, may be injury, excess weight, genetic predisposition, viral infections, problems with the endocrine system, physical overload, high-heeled shoes, and a sedentary lifestyle. Accompanying every movement of the leg with pain and crunching in the knee may indicate joint disease.
4. Hand joints hurt and crack. Many people practice the bad habit of cracking their fingers. At first glance, this is a rather harmless habit, but this is not entirely true. It’s understandable that after a working day or during times of psychological stress you want to stretch your fingers. Quite often this brings relief. But the regular use of such forced restoration of joint mobility over time leads to the fact that the cartilage is damaged and arthrosis begins to develop. Therefore, it will be much more useful to massage your hands or do simple physical exercises than to make your fingers crunch.
5. Pathological sound in the back usually occurs when a force is applied to the joint that exceeds the resistance of the muscles and ligaments. This is normal. But if the clicking becomes regular, this may be a sign that the muscles are constantly under tension and cannot cope with their task. This usually happens due to physical overload, infection, and poor nutrition.

Constantly being in one position, the back muscles over time lose the ability to relax on their own, their strength decreases, the vertebrae acquire excessive mobility, as a result of which the spine is affected by short-term “shooting” pain.

If your knee joints click

Spine crunches - see a doctor immediately

To eliminate it, you need to perform special gymnastics.

Clicking joints in children

Why does pathology most often manifest itself in children? There are a number of reasons:

1. Pathology of connective tissue. In this case, the child has excessive joint mobility.
2. Temporary childhood joint hypermobility. Since the child’s articular-ligamentous apparatus has not yet fully formed, from time to time a crunching sensation may occur in his knees, not accompanied by pain. Over time, as the joints become stronger, the sound disappears. The cause for concern should be the appearance of grinding noise in the joints and a feeling of discomfort. If this happens, you need to seek medical help.

More about the problem of crunching in children

How to get rid of pathology

What can and should be done if your joints crack during the day.

In this case, it is worth taking certain measures to prevent the development of the disease:

1. So, while sitting, you need to change positions more often, at least once every hour and a half you need to get up from your seat and perform several simple exercises with your head and palms. Sports should occur two to three times a week.
2. If the crunch occurs after an injury or joint disease, you should urgently consult an orthopedic traumatologist. To make a diagnosis, he will prescribe an x-ray, ultrasound of bone joints and computed tomography, and tell you how treatment should proceed.

Joint inflammation

If inflamed joints crunch, then the decision on how to treat the disease in this case should be made solely by the doctor.

In such cases:

1. Analgesics are prescribed to relieve pain.
2. If there is inflammation and swelling, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments - Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Fastum gel.
3. If necessary, chondroprotectors are taken internally - drugs aimed at restoring the cartilage structure. These include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates. The course of treatment takes quite a long time. It is worth considering that chondroprotectors act more effectively at the early stage of the disease, when there is no sensation of pain yet.
4. Sick joints need to be regularly unloaded, providing them with rest. For this purpose, elastic bandages and special clamps are used.

If the cause of the clicking sounds is a disease, then appropriate treatment is carried out:

1. With arthrosis, you need to relieve the joints as much as possible from the load, wear comfortable, and best of all, orthopedic shoes. If the patient is overweight, it would be advisable to get rid of it, because this will put less strain on the joints and blood vessels of the legs. In case of active progression of the disease, it is necessary to undergo surgery, during which the joint will be replaced. This procedure is usually performed on the knee and hip joints.
2. If a patient has gout, treatment includes following a diet and increased drinking regimen. In this case, the patient should consume at least two to three liters of fluid.
3. It will be useful for patients suffering from arthritis to exclude flour and sweets, as well as animal fats from their diet. It is useful to eat dairy products and plant foods.

Possible and common complications

If seeking help from a doctor is not timely, then crunching in the joints can ultimately lead to the development of diseases such as osteoarthritis, arthritis, arthrosis, and bursitis.

The biomechanics of the spine also changes, causing intervertebral disc herniation and other complications.

Ultimately, the patient may become disabled, losing the ability to self-care or move independently.

Preventive measures

In order to prevent unpleasant sounds in the joints, the following measures must be observed:

1. Eat more vegetables and fruits, and reduce the consumption of fatty meat dishes.
2. Products that act as a source of calcium and phosphorus will be beneficial for the body: sea fish, dairy products.
3. Instead of red meat, it is healthier to eat white meat.
4. It is better to replace fried and smoked dishes with stewed or baked ones, and instead of sweets use fruit drinks, uzvar, and fruit jelly.
5. It is useful to eat sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, and vegetable oil.
6. You need to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day in order to thin the blood in the body and prevent the formation of blood clots.
7. During the day, you need to move more, when working sedentary, change positions more often, get up from your seat and warm up.
8. Cycling, walking and swimming have a beneficial effect on joint health.
9. Whenever possible, you should avoid strenuous physical activity that leads to injury, destruction of cartilage tissue, and inflammation.
10. Under no circumstances should you snap your fingers, as this will injure the joints and pose a risk of developing arthrosis.

To summarize, we can say that crunchy joints are a rather dangerous thing, since they are a harbinger of serious joint diseases. It is very important to make a timely diagnosis, find out the cause of this sound, and begin adequate treatment.

It is also important to take preventive measures to prevent the appearance of unusual sounds in the body.

Many people are quite familiar with the situation when all the bones and joints hurt due to physical stress or for some other reason; not everyone knows what to do in this situation. Doctors note that the etiology of pain symptoms of this kind is varied. Why do my bones hurt? This may be an infection and metabolic disorders, tissue necrosis, or a consequence of allergic reactions. These are universal causes of pain. There are about a hundred such reasons in total.

Today this symptom is quite common and even the World Health Organization became interested in this issue and conventionally designated the past decade as the peak years for the detection of this painful symptom. What are the causes of the disease?

In modern medicine, joint and bone pain are grouped together as rheumatic diseases. All of them combine diseases of an inflammatory and dystrophic nature.

Experts call the main reasons that provoke diseases of the skeletal system:

1. Joint pain can occur due to overuse in sports.
2. Tumor processes of bones. At first, the pain is present only at night or during heavy physical work. The dynamics of pain depend on the speed of tumor development. The time frame can be from several weeks to a year. As a result of tumor processes, bone weakens. This leads to fractures. Joint and bone pain may be accompanied by chills, a fever throughout the body, and weight loss.
3. Joint pain can be caused by systemic blood diseases. Painful symptoms in joints throughout the body occur suddenly or when pressure is placed on a bone. Most often, such signs are characteristic of bone marrow diseases, leukemia and myeloma. As for the latter disease, it is a malignant disease of the bone marrow, which is localized in the spine, pelvic bones and ribs. Most often, the disease affects men aged 60-70 years. At first, the disease develops without any symptoms. This period can last for 15 years. In the later stages of the disease, intense bone pain, fractures of the limbs and vertebrae are observed. At the stage of acute leukemia, in addition to low-grade fever, intense pain in the bones appears.
4. Joint and bone pain may be a symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma. Against the background of pain, enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss and allergic reactions are observed.
5. Pain in the joints and bones can occur in the case of malignant skin processes: melanoma, warts, papillomas.
6. Pain in the bones and joints of the knees may occur in cases of chemotherapy for breast cancer. In this case, metastases can spread to the bone.
7. Intense pain in the joints of one of the knees at night is a manifestation of infectious diseases. In addition to the knees, they spread to the lower leg area.
8. Knee and leg pain are observed with intermittent fever and chills, which are transmitted by body lice.
9. Joint pain can occur due to benign tumor processes with so-called lymphoreticulosis. The pain symptom often affects the tendons near the bone.
10. Another very serious disease causes bone pain. This is bone tuberculosis. This occurs when the tuberculosis bacillus enters the spine from the lungs.
11. The disease osteomyelitis can be accompanied by bone pain and fever.

If metabolic processes are disturbed, pain may occur. This condition occurs due to a deficiency of mineral components in the diet and slow absorption into the intestinal tissue. The consequence of this condition may be a lack of vitamin D. In this case, the bone softens, and doctors diagnose osteoporosis. It is a misconception that bones only need calcium. In case of an excess of calcium or its normal level, with a lack of vitamin D, softening of the bone occurs. Basically, people with diseases of diabetes mellitus, kidneys and liver suffer from bone pain. A deficiency of the B vitamin complex, in addition to pain, provokes cramps in the muscle tissue of the limbs. The nerve endings do not receive enough vitamin and are destroyed. When you press on the muscle tissue, pain occurs near the bone.

Hormonal tumor of the thyroid gland also causes destruction of bone tissue. In this case, hormonal and mineral metabolism is disrupted. The early stage of the disease is characterized by bone pain, muscle weakness and increased fatigue. Later, the bone softens so much that compression fractures occur.

Pain in bones and joints occurs under the influence of the use of hormonal drugs by women during menopause, after childbirth, or during infertility treatment.

Painful symptoms in the bones are characteristic of states of immobility. This process slows down the development of bone tissue.

Congenital features of collagen development contribute to the development of muscle and bone pain.

Pain throughout the skeletal system occurs due to the development of osteitis deformans. With this disease, the entire skeletal system is affected, and bone tissue remodeling is also disrupted. The main symptom of the disease: severe pain in places where the skeleton is affected, deformation of the spine and lower extremities, neurological disorders.

Modern people often feel pain in bones throughout the body. It's not weird. Since sitting at a computer and a sedentary lifestyle disrupts the water-salt balance of the body, a lack of water leads to depletion of the stomach walls. The protective function of the gastrointestinal mucosa loses its elasticity, and the barrier function is destroyed. As a result, all salt components increase and exceed the quantitative threshold in the body. With little fluid intake and inactivity, excess salt fluid is retained in the body and absorbed into muscle and bone tissue. This changes the structure of the tissue, irritating the nerve endings and causing pain.

Functional bone pain needs to be diagnosed, and only then treatment should begin. It needs to be corrected by following a special diet, taking chondroprotectors and vitamin complexes. An important way to treat bone diseases is to normalize nutrition. In no case should you limit your intake of carbohydrates and fats; you need to reduce their consumption. If you are overweight, you should follow a diet and limit yourself to a light dinner three hours before bedtime. To lose weight, you should increase the intake of vegetables and fruits rich in plant fiber in your diet.

If you have functional diseases of your bones and joints, you should not subject them to unnecessary physical stress or wear heavy things. To enhance metabolic processes, you should move more, play sports and perform simple exercises.

If, after taking measures, there is no improvement in your general condition and reduction in pain, then you should seek medical help.

This indicates more severe pathologies of the skeletal system.

Diet for arthritis and joint arthrosis, its features.

Currently, there are many diseases in the world. Research shows that some of the most common are arthritis and arthrosis.

Complex therapy used for these joint diseases includes not only drug treatment, physiotherapeutic procedures and physical therapy, but it also takes into account the particularly important issue of nutrition. In various cases, the doctor prescribes a special type of nutrition system, regimen and menu. Diet for arthritis and arthrosis is considered a factor that particularly affects the human body; it is no less important than other treatment methods. It is careful, daily adherence to a diet that can weaken diseases, thus providing a chance to reduce the number of periods of exacerbation, and significantly increase the duration of periods of improvement in health.

General rules to follow

The goal of any diet is to improve metabolic processes in the body, but in the case of arthrosis and arthritis, the restorative, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of a special diet will be aimed at a specific part of the body and joints. It is vital to maintain a daily routine, starting from the day the first signs of the disease appeared or the suspicion of its presence arose.

Since, in the presence of joint diseases, a person leads a measured, calm, sometimes even recumbent lifestyle, the diet must be appropriate. For arthrosis or arthritis, it is predominantly low- or medium-calorie.

It is necessary to switch to a dietary diet gradually so that eating disorders and eating disorders do not arise in the future. The food consumed should be varied within the limits of the diet menu.

Products at risk

There are a number of products that belong to the so-called “risk group”, representing unhealthy, unhealthy food. Nutritionists call such food “empty”, since it does not contain the vitamins, microelements and minerals necessary for the body, and therefore does not bring any health benefits. A diet used as part of treatment for arthritis and arthrosis of any joints in the body involves avoiding such foods. At first, it will not be very easy to rebuild your nutrition system and develop new habits, but over time, your body will get used to the new diet, and your health is guaranteed to improve. Products at risk include:

Gradual abandonment of the above products and replacing them with healthy ones rich in vitamins will not only help effectively fight ailments, but will also significantly improve the general condition of the body.

Having listed the food groups that are recommended to be excluded from the new nutrition system, it is necessary to focus on the fact that a number of certain foods can be eaten, but the quantity and frequency of their consumption should be minimized, especially when following a special diet for arthritis and arthrosis.

• Strong tea and coffee. These drinks contribute to the leaching of calcium from bone tissue and joints, which provokes the rapid progression of the disease. Therefore, to relieve acute symptoms, it is better to reduce their consumption to 1-2 cups per week and gradually stop.
• Meat dishes. Meat contains arachidonic acid, which, as a result of its breakdown, increases inflammatory processes in the body.
• Chocolate and other sweets. Their excessive consumption contributes to rapid weight gain, which increases the load on the joints.
• Salt. Eating salty foods contributes to the accumulation of deposits in the bones, increases swelling and, as a result, increases the inflammatory process. When following a diet for arthritis and arthrosis, it is recommended to prepare dishes without salt, adding a little salt to the prepared food if necessary.
• Trans fats. Foods that contain “bad fats” are unhealthy and contribute to rapid weight gain. They are mainly present in fax food, chips, cakes, mayonnaise, and chocolate.

The list of foods that are best avoided or limited in consumption is not long. In addition, in modern gastronomy you can easily find a replacement for them, following the rules of the diet, which is vital and necessary for joint diseases.

Another type of products that nutritionists highlight are useful and necessary for arthritis and arthrosis of the joints. They must be present in the diet, as they reduce the inflammatory process and have a beneficial effect on articular surfaces, cartilage and bone tissue. Among them are:

• Fish of the salmon family. Rich in natural “healthy fats” and Omega-3 acids, thanks to regular consumption of this type of fish, the body is saturated with vitamin D
• Almond. The nut contains vitamin E, which strengthens articular surfaces and capsules.
• Papaya. A storehouse of vitamin C and beta-carotene.
• Apples. Promote the body's production of collagen - the most important substance for joints, restoring cartilage tissue.
• Kale. Contains copper, calcium and manganese, it is recommended in the diet mainly in raw form, but cooked is also no less useful.
• Broccoli. Broccoli is rich in vitamins A and C and contains a significant amount of easily digestible calcium.
• Ginger. Ginger is considered one of the most beneficial foods for the body; it reduces swelling and relieves pain.

Menu for arthritis and arthrosis

Creating the right menu that is complete and healthy is a difficult task. Therefore, in order for a diet for arthritis and arthrosis to be extremely beneficial, it is usually prescribed by a specialist. We suggest considering a sample menu for a week, which can be taken as a basis for a diet, supplemented and diversified depending on the stage of development of the disease.

Monday	Breakfast: oatmeal; fruit salad, seasoned with sour cream or unsweetened yogurt, you can add a little honey if necessary; a glass of tea.	Lunch: vegetable soup with meat broth; salad with celery, carrots and cucumber, seasoned with a teaspoon of olive or sunflower oil.	Dinner: baked apples with curd filling; boiled beets; a glass of kefir.
Tuesday	Breakfast: medium fat cottage cheese, a couple of toasts with butter and a teaspoon of jam, a cup of herbal tea.	Lunch: boiled or baked chicken breast; vegetables or cereals; apple.	Dinner: baked fish; rice porridge with butter.
Wednesday	Breakfast: omelette with vegetables; a glass of green tea with ginger; yogurt jelly.	Lunch: fish balls; potato or pea puree; cabbage salad with a teaspoon of oil.	Dinner: stewed rabbit or chicken; vegetable salad.
Thursday	Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits; a glass of juice or fruit drink.	Lunch: fish soup; Pasta with cheese; vegetable salad.	Dinner: fish aspic; carrot and cabbage salad; a glass of yogurt.
Friday	Breakfast: boiled eggs; buttered toast; apple; tea with ginger.	Lunch: beetroot soup; minced meat zrazy; baked zucchini.	Dinner: beef or chicken soufflé; carrot zrazy; a glass of juice.
Saturday	Breakfast: buckwheat porridge; sour cream jelly with berries; green tea.	Lunch: borscht; baked rabbit with zucchini.	Dinner: boiled fish; baked beans; a glass of fermented baked milk.
Sunday	Breakfast: pearl barley porridge with milk; tea with ginger.	Lunch: cabbage soup with fresh cabbage; baked chicken; vegetable salad with radishes and herbs.	Dinner: cottage cheese and carrot casserole; a glass of kefir.

Conclusion

If you have decided to fight a disease such as arthritis or arthrosis of the joints, then you should not neglect nutrition. Changing your diet and using a special diet will create favorable conditions for the restoration of damaged joints, as well as strengthen your immune system and overall health.

Joints withstand enormous loads, which double with excess weight. In this case, serious pathologies may develop, such as scoliosis, hernia, osteochondrosis, etc. The surest way to solve the problem is to lose weight, increase activity, visit a doctor and undergo a rehabilitation course. This will allow the joints to return to their previous health and maintain it until old age.

How does obesity affect joints?

The musculoskeletal system performs an important function and has high endurance. However, with obesity, he has to withstand heavy loads, which over time affect the condition of the spine, knee and hip joints. These departments suffer first of all, since they are the main ones in the supporting structure of the body.

However, excess weight affects not only bone joints, lymph circulation changes. Such changes lead to stagnation, due to which the nutrition of the joint tissues is limited. Disruption of metabolic processes provokes the development of non-inflammatory pathologies of the spine and legs, which affect the cartilage tissue of bone joints and intervertebral discs.

There is cracking of the vertebrae, their displacement and excessive friction between them. In response to these processes, the body begins to build up bone tissue, which leads to the formation of spines that injure the bursa of the bone joint and ligaments. Mainly the knees, ankles and hips are affected. And also a large load, which is placed on the lower part, can lead to the development of flat feet.

What problems arise due to obesity?

People who are overweight are more likely than others to have a herniated disc.

The load on the joints of the spinal column, which develops under the influence of excess weight, aggravates existing problems and contributes to the development of new ones. These include:

• Hernia or vertebral displacement. They develop as a result of compression injuries in which a nerve is pinched. Unbearable pain accompanies every movement, which limits the range of movement.
• Formation of scoliosis. The spinal column, with a weakened muscular system, begins to bend under the influence of excess weight. In this case, there is a shift back or to the sides, the center of the pelvis shifts, and the load on the knees increases, which eventually begin to hurt. If you do not use exercises, chronic scoliosis develops, which cannot be corrected.
• Decreased mobility. Severe pain in the limbs and spine ultimately leads to a decrease in motor functions. People try to eliminate unpleasant manifestations by giving up unnecessary stress.

How to restore health to the musculoskeletal system?

The pathology has a hidden nature of development, which leads a person to the doctor in the later stages, when the joints hurt at the slightest movement. After the initial examination and diagnostic measures, treatment is prescribed, which includes:

To reduce excess weight, the doctor will recommend changing your diet and adding vegetables and fruits to it.

• drug therapy that helps eliminate pain in the joints and restore the cartilage layer;
• physiotherapy, which is prescribed to enhance the effect of drugs;
• weight correction when foods high in calcium, low sugar levels, fresh vegetables and fruits are introduced into the diet.

Self-medication can cause serious harm to joints and lead to complications.

Problems of the musculoskeletal system develop not only when affected by infectious pathologies. Excess weight plays a huge role, which puts increased pressure on the joints, which leads to their wear and tear. By eliminating the cause of the problem, the normal functioning of bone joints can be restored, however, this is a slow process that requires effort and endurance.

Good afternoon It's finally time to talk about obesity.

This is truly an interdisciplinary problem. But I will not cite dry statistics now and say that obesity is a colossal burden on the joints. You already know all this very well. Let's approach this issue from the other side, namely, let's discuss what danger adipose tissue poses to joints.

Adipose tissue is a type of connective tissue that consists of an extensive network of vessels, collagen fibers, fibroblasts and cells of the immune system, surrounded by lipid cells - adipocytes. One of the least studied functions of adipose tissue is endocrine.

Adipose tissue produces many biologically active substances, among which adipokines and adipocytokines occupy an important place. Several dozen adipokines are already known, including leptin, adiponectin, resistin, visfatin, etc., which can secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL6), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, etc.

Adipokines are biologically active substances that are produced by white adipose tissue and are involved in a wide range of metabolic processes, including influencing immune and inflammatory responses. Adipokines contribute to the chronic inflammatory process, acting in conjunction with other cytokines, which together enhance the processes of proliferation in the joint.

Studies have shown that the levels of adipokines in patients with arthrosis are noticeably higher than in people without joint complaints. Particularly high levels of adiponectin and leptin are associated with female gender and high body mass index.

Leptin– one of the main adipokines involved in metabolic processes in arthrosis. The inflammatory process enhances the formation of leptin. Leptin is capable of inducing the synthesis of enzymes involved in cartilage damage during arthrosis. Leptin also affects the function of bone cells called osteoblasts. An increase in leptin levels by 5 ng/ml in the blood serum is associated with the progression of radiological signs of arthrosis by 38%!!!

Data on the role of other adipokines - adiponectin, resistin, visfatin - in the development and progression of osteoarthritis are contradictory.

Infrapatellar adipose tissue (surrounding the knee joint) contains not only adipocytes, but also a large number of macrophages, lymphocytes and granulocytes. It is capable of producing and releasing large amounts of leptin and adiponectin, as well as synthesizing inflammatory mediators (TNFα, IL6) in higher concentrations than even subcutaneous fat. Thus, the fatty tissue surrounding the joint will only maintain inflammation in the joint.

Friends, when we tell you that you need to lose weight, we, of course, do not want to offend you, but we only want you personally (!) to be interested in treating your disease and make an effort to do so. In the treatment of osteoarthritis, fat is definitely not your friend.

Approaches to weight loss

♀️Among non-pharmacological methods of treating osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis), much attention is paid to reducing body weight.

Maintaining normal body weight reduces the risk of arthrosis, and reducing body mass index in patients with an established diagnosis allows for a reduction in the clinical manifestations of arthrosis.

Losing weight has been shown to have a beneficial effect on joint pain. Reducing body weight by at least 5% helps reduce joint pain.

There is a dependence of the severity of clinical manifestations on the degree of weight loss. A 3-year OAI (Osteoarthritis Initiative) and a 30-month MOST (Multicenter Osteoarthritis) study involving 1,410 patients found that a 10% weight loss reduced pain more than a 5% or less weight loss. That is, the more weight loss, the better :)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published clinical guidelines for identifying, assessing, and treating excess weight in adults. The basic principle of these recommendations is: “The initial goal of obesity treatment should be a reduction of body weight by 10% compared with baseline.” Although these recommendations are not intended specifically for patients with arthrosis, they should also apply to patients with joint complaints and obesity.

To reduce the body weight of patients with osteoarthritis, sometimes it is not enough just to follow a diet and exercise, which requires the inclusion of additional methods of treating obesity: drug therapy and bariatric surgery.

Although short-term weight loss can be achieved through diet and exercise, not everyone is able to maintain the results for a long time. About 75% of patients on the diet gain back most of what they lost within 1 year. The addition of drug therapy not only makes weight loss easier, but may also prevent weight gain from returning. Prescription of drugs is indicated for those patients with obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2) who cannot achieve or maintain a clinically significant degree of weight loss using diet and exercise.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that obesity is defined as a chronic low-inflammatory condition, which dictates the need for long-term treatment aimed at achieving a stable reduction in body weight, preventing or reducing the severity of serious concomitant diseases. Losing body weight in patients with arthrosis helps reduce pain and improve the functional status of patients, and also has a positive effect on the course of concomitant diseases.

What people often don't realize is that their weight can actually both cause and worsen this pain.

Although the effect of excess weight on back pain is not fully understood, it is known that people who are overweight have an increased risk of developing back pain, joint pain, and muscle strains than people of normal weight.

In addition to back pain, symptoms exhibited by obese people may include weakness, breathing problems and shortness of breath that occurs quickly during exercise.

If weakness and shortness of breath cause a person to avoid physical activity and exercise, this may indirectly cause back pain, as low physical tone has been shown to contribute to many common forms of back pain.

How does obesity lead to back pain?

According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), episodes of musculoskeletal pain, and especially back pain, are very common in about a third of Americans who are obese.

The American Obesity Association also reports that people with obesity are more likely to report difficulties in daily life and the inability to perform usual activities than people with other chronic conditions.

Some of the most common problems caused by obesity are musculoskeletal pain and joint pain. For overweight people, it is important to be determined to lose weight, since every extra kilogram adds stress to the muscles and ligaments of the back.

In order to somehow cope with the load caused by heavy weight, the spine bends and, thus, the load placed on it becomes uneven. As a result, over time, the back loses sufficient support, and curvature of the spine develops.

In particular, obesity can worsen lower back pain and problems. This happens to people with a type of obesity that causes a large belly. Due to the weight of the abdomen, the pelvis is "pushed" forward and stretches the muscles and ligaments of the lower back, which leads to. According to the American Obesity Association, obese women with large waistlines are especially at risk for low back pain.

Conditions associated with obesity

Overweight and obese patients may suffer from lower back pain and... This occurs when the discs and other spinal structures become damaged, being forced to compensate for the high stress placed on the back due to excess weight.

In addition, obesity can also cause pinched nerves due to the pressure of excess weight on the interosseous spaces in the lumbar region.

Causes back pain and can be made worse if excess weight puts stress on the joints. People with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 are more susceptible to spondyloarthritis and spinal spondylosis than people with a lower BMI. The American Obesity Association recommends mild weight loss as a treatment for certain types of spondyloarthritis.

The effectiveness of spine surgery may also be reduced by the patient's weight. Obese patients have an increased risk of complications and infections after surgery compared to non-obese patients. If you are severely obese, it is recommended to lose weight before surgery as this can potentially improve the healing process and reduce the risk of some complications.

How do you know when you need to lose weight?

Body mass index (BMI) is used most often in medicine. BMI is a mathematical formula (kg/m2) that takes into account the patient's weight in kilograms and height in meters, thus obtaining a certain number. The higher the body mass index, the higher the likelihood of obesity.

Although there is some controversy regarding this type of measurement, a BMI of 30 or higher is generally considered obese, and a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.

It is also important to understand where exactly the patient's excess fat is located. Patients who are overweight in the abdominal area are at greater risk of developing obesity-related problems such as low back pain. Weight loss for medical reasons is often recommended for women with a waist measurement greater than 90 cm and men with a waist measurement greater than 100 cm.

Weight loss and exercise for patients with back pain

After the doctor has determined whether the patient needs weight loss, a special program is developed, including a diet and special exercises.

Where to begin?

Before starting any weight loss program, you need to make sure it is safe. It is recommended to start such a program only after a visit to a specialist who will take into account the patient’s problems with the spine and back pain and help choose the right diet and exercises.

However, patients should be prepared to experience some initial pain when performing the exercises. It is important to pay attention to any pain and discomfort during exercise.

If the pain is severe, or any other serious changes in your health have occurred, you should inform your doctor. Working with a doctor is mandatory throughout the entire program, since only a qualified specialist will be able to monitor changes in the patient’s condition.

Simple exercises for weight loss

You need to start your weight loss program with simple and safe exercises. For example, walking and exercise in water will help the patient to perform daily activities more easily without putting undue strain on the muscles and joints of the back.

Exercises that are usually too painful for the patient to do become quite bearable in water. This is because the water resists gravity and the weight of the patient in the water puts less stress on the back. In addition, performing exercises in water reduces the risk of injury due to loss of balance.

The support provided by water during exercise can be especially beneficial for people who are overweight, as buoyancy essentially eliminates excess weight, allowing a person to move freely in the water. It is also quite effective for people suffering from joint problems.

How do weight loss exercises help your back?

While the question of how excess body weight affects back pain is not fully understood, it is known for certain that lack of physical activity is the main cause of back pain, and constant, regular exercise, on the contrary, helps relieve pain in the back. back and prevent or minimize the risk of relapse.

Physical activity and exercise is the only way to speed up blood flow, which improves the supply of nutrients to the intervertebral discs and other soft tissues. This, in turn, helps keep the intervertebral discs, muscles, joints and ligaments of the back healthy.

After spine surgery, many patients play it safe and try to avoid exercise. However, in most cases, physical activity and exercise are better for reducing pain than bed rest and severe mobility restrictions. Bed rest can only help after an acute episode of back pain, and even then it should not last longer than a few days.

If a patient has low physical activity for a long period of time, the structures that support the back and spine lose their strength and flexibility.

Poor physical fitness leads to increased pain, which in turn can cause patients to further limit their activities. All this creates a vicious circle: even less activity, more pain, and so on.

Episodes of back pain may also be more severe if the patient gains weight during periods of minimal physical activity. The more a patient weighs, the more frequent and severe episodes of back pain become.

For people who are overweight, even a small reduction can be beneficial, since even a 10% weight loss can improve the patient's overall health.

Nutrition and diet for weight loss

Obviously, obesity occurs as a result of a person consuming more calories over a long period of time than his body is able to burn.

According to research, obesity or excess weight is the result of a high-calorie diet combined with insufficient exercise.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an overweight or obese patient needs to develop certain eating habits to maintain a healthy weight on an ongoing basis. Basic recommendations include the following points:

• reducing the amount of calories consumed;
• reducing the volume of portions;
• monitoring nutrition, portion sizes and diet composition;
• learning proper cooking methods;
• choosing low-carb foods.

Patients who slowly and gradually reduce their caloric intake are often the most successful in both losing weight and maintaining the results. There is no doubt that controlled progress through diet and weight loss programs is generally more effective than sporadic and inconsistent changes in calorie intake and portion sizes.

When is losing weight bad for your health?

Although losing weight through a healthy diet and exercise program can relieve back pain and improve a patient's overall physical condition, there are a number of warning signs that something may be wrong.

Patients should always see a doctor if they experience unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, pain, or neurological problems.

Depression, lack of nutrition, certain medications, and infections can cause unexplained weight loss.

If a patient's weight has been stable for a long period of time and then suddenly drops, or if the patient experiences loss of appetite, this may be a sign of a serious illness, such as cancer.

Start small. Eliminate sugar from your diet, do not exceed the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, add 20 minutes of exercise a day and an hour’s walk in the fresh air. Look at the results in a month. Did not help? See your doctor.