Research
Mixed
Bariatric surgery leads to significant pain relief in knee and back pain for morbidly obese patients, often resolving pain in 5-100% of patients depending on the joint.
For morbidly obese individuals, bariatric surgery can significantly reduce or eliminate knee and back pain, often within months. However, hip pain may not improve as much.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Reductions in BMI values ranged from 6.2-14.7 kg/m2, which corresponded with a resolution of knee and back pain in 5%-100% of patients, whereas pain severity was reduced in 31%-94% of patients, depending on the joint and the study [85].
Why this rating
Based on multiple studies cited, though methodological inconsistencies exist.
Source
Obesity and Weight Loss in the Treatment and Prevention of Osteoarthritis
Heather K. Vincent et al. · PM&R · 2012
DOI 10.1016/j.pmrj.2012.01.005
narrative_reviewCited 220×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Obesity increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis by 36% for every 5 kg of weight gain, primarily through mechanical stress and systemic inflammation.Strong
- Weight loss of at least 10% body weight significantly reduces knee osteoarthritis pain and improves physical function in obese adults, regardless of the method used (exercise, diet, or surgery).Good
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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