Rise In Obesity Leading To An Increase In Knee Replacements
Knee replacement surgery (also known as knee arthroplasty), where the joint is literally removed and replaced with an artificial one, was once thought of as an older person’s surgery or for those with sporting injuries. But the trend towards people under the age of 65 being referred is on the up, and new research has now pinpointed rising levels of obesity as the culprit.
The study, carried out by The University of Massachusetts Medical School, looked at 9,000 knee replacement patients and found that 55% of patients in the under 65 age group were obese, compared with 43% in the group who were 65 or older. And of the patients in the under 65 years age group, 11% were classified as severely (morbidly) obese, compared to 5% in the older age group. Read more