KNEE ARTHRITIS - Unicompartmental knee replacement :

PKR and obesity - - Posted by dotcomma (dotcomma), 7 February 2004

I am extremely overweight and am scheduled for PKR in April.  Would appreciate comments from anyone as to what problems might be encountered due to being overweight.  Am currently on a strict diet.  
Posted by Linds (Linds), 9 February 2004

Hi, goodluck wiht your surgery.  Being overweight is quite a stress on the knee. I have read that every pound overweight you are is about 10 pounds more on the knee joint when it strikes the ground.  Knees are difficult in so many ways it's just adding another stress to the joint.  I am attempting to lose some weight right now.  I am awaiting a LR surgery on the left knee. I already had the right one done, and it's not perfect so I am trying to get my weight down so that I am taking the stress off the right knee when I am on crutches post op.  You will also recover much more quikly if your muscles are strong going into surgery.  Depending on how overweight you are ,there are also risks associated with having surgery when you are overweight.  Goodluck
,wiht surgery and otherwise.
LInds
Posted by dotcomma (dotcomma), 9 February 2004

Many thanks Linds.  Just common sense really.  Good luck with your weight loss and your surgery.


Posted by dijansumay (dijansumay), 21 February 2004

i was 35lbs heavier when i had my pkr. i have to say that losing the weight has not made one iota of difference to my knees. i know about the argument about the weight multiplying the stress on the knees but it seems to me that if your knee is malaligned and there are parts rubbing together that should not be, then they will rub together whatever your weight. that said, for all kinds of other reasons, it is a good idea to lose weight.
good luck with the op.

di
Posted by Beauzer (Beauzer), 22 February 2004

Hi,

Not to rain on your parade any more but,
being overweight can also lead to other problems such as difficulty with wound healing and increased risk of infection too...

Hope everything goes well
Danielle
Posted by soccerdoc (soccerdoc), 13 March 2004

Hi,

First, good for you for your efforts to lose weight before surgery.  Weight loss makes a big difference for some people and less for others.

Second, if land based weight bearing activity is too painful given your knee try whater based exercise of walking.  Besides reducing load bearing, hydro-activities provide resistence in both directions of movement and increase energy expenditure, eg more kcal burned.

Good luck with the surgery.

Jim

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