Carrying around more weight than you should is probably the biggest aggravating factor when it comes to experiencing knee pain as a result of arthritis. Losing even a small amount of weight will take a significant burden off your knees.

To prove this, point researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine looked at the long term impact of weight loss on pain, stiffness, and functional ability in obese patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Thirty adults who were in the study were primarily women (80 per cent), Caucasian (77 per cent), with a mean (average) age of 58.2 years. The mean weight in this group was 204.6 pounds. Following a 16 week weight loss program, patients met every three months for follow-up. Baseline measurements were repeated one year after completion of the program.

Average weight loss for the group was approximately 15 pounds. After one year, 20 per cent of the patients lost additional weight, 17 per cent remained stable, 16 per cent regained no more than 5 pounds, and the remaining 47 per cent regained weight.

One year measurements showed significant improvement in pain (31 per cent), stiffness (25 per cent), and functional ability (40 per cent). Sustained improvement was not related to amount of weight regained or total weight change, age, gender, or baseline weight.

So, it appears that patient with OA of the knee who obtain even modest weight loss have initial improvements in pain, stiffness, and functioning that persist after one year. It may be other factors besides weight loss alone that might be responsible for the improvement. For instance, patients who start an exercise program that strengthens the thigh muscles may experience much more relief than those people who didn’t start an exercise program.

Nonetheless, the outcome of this study provides proof that weight loss is an important factor in optimal therapy of osteoarthritis of the knee.

(Bartlett SJ, Haaz S, Wrobleski P, et al. Long-term changes in symptoms and functioning associated with weight loss in overweight persons with knee OA. American College of Rheumatology poster presentation, 2006).