A new clinical research study by physicians at Penn State College of Medicine has shown that patients who have undergone bariatric surgery may experience reduced pain from osteoarthritis of the knees.
The study analyzed the knees of 24 patients who underwent bariatric (weight loss) surgery. Their condition was evaluated before the bariatric surgery and at periods 6 months and 12 months after the operation. Within the 6 month period, participants had lost an average of 57 pounds. Along with a general quality-of-life improvement and enhanced function, they also reported a reduction in knee pain and stiffness.
“Each individual had some kind of improvement in their pain from losing weight, some more than others, said Christopher Edwards, one of the study authors.
Findings of this study were planned for a presentation at Saturday’s specialty day program by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
