Effect of overweight on hip arthrosis
Similar to knee arthrosis, clinical studies have shown that obesity has an influence on the development and progression of hip arthrosis. People who are already overweight will develop hip arthrosis 10 years earlier than people who are normal weight. Due to the increased weight, higher pressure loads on the cartilage lead to a faster abrasion of the cartilage.
The process also progresses due to the inflammation mediators (hormones) that are produced in the fatty tissue. Another factor in hip joint arthrosis is the lack of exercise. Only if there is sufficient exercise and movement of the legs does the cartilage remain vital and is then well supplied with blood.
Just a few minutes a day of moving the hip with sports exercises can help to reduce the progression. As with the knee, it is also true for the hip that a hip prosthesis is not the solution of all things. A prosthesis for hip arthrosis should be the last step. Prior to this, the patient should take all other possible steps (weight loss, sports, physiotherapy, change of diet).
Effect of overweight on ankle joint arthrosis
In comparison to osteoarthritis in the knees and hips, osteoarthritis in the ankle is found in younger people. One of the most common reasons for this is axial malalignment following injuries to the ligament and bone apparatus, which then leads to arthrosis because the joint surfaces no longer communicate ideally with each other. But overweight also has an influence on the development of arthrosis in the ankle joint.
The cartilage surfaces of the ankle joint bear almost the entire body weight. Even slight changes in weight therefore have an influence on the pressure on these cartilage surfaces and thus also on the development of arthrosis and its progression. As with arthrosis in the knee and hip, weight loss is the central approach.
On the one hand, it reduces the load on the joint and on the other hand, it reduces the production of inflammation mediators in the fatty tissue. In the ankle joint a prosthesis is a complicated undertaking. In most cases a stiffening of the joint (arthrodesis) is more likely to be carried out.
Then the foot is stiffened at a fixed angle on the leg. This condition can be counteracted by counteracting existing or developing overweight at a young age.
