This one has always made me scratch my head. I’ve been fat my whole life. By current thinking my knees and hips should be toast (I’m 63 y.o.) by now. But what joint did I get replaced due to osteoarthritis? My left shoulder. The right one is well on its way to replacement, too. Lots of weight bearing on those shoulders, guess I should’ve stopped walking on my hands decades ago. Thankfully, I have a great orthopedic surgeon who never hesitated to do surgery after the routine care didn’t help. Yes! I was actually given the same care as a thin person! Will wonders never cease.
I'm so glad this is a series because I forgot to go back and read part 1! Two things really resonate with me here. First, the weight-cycling. Thank you for explaining (across the body of your work in both advocacy and literature) how damaging this is to my body. I think I went on my first diet before the age of 10 and cannot count the total number I've endured and escaped from (bad grammar notwithstanding). My emotional health has certainly mimicked that cycling as I work through the "diet years" and it's been very helpful to be reminded that it's a thing i didn't imagine. Second, the analogy that an evidence-based and ethical solution to taller people's problems is NOT to make them shorter is such a stellar example that thwacked me with a giant A-HA right to my forehead!
Last week, I had a phone appt with my pain management P.A. She used some of the arguments that have been flung at me over the years ("it's not bone on bone if you can bend your knee" and the never-helpful "you'll feel like a new woman if you just lose 10% of your weight" BS). I am so grateful to you for helping arm me with the knowledge and resulting confidence to argue back!
Can you share the links to the science? Such as the NIH study? This is important info that should be shared widely, and it can be hard to find if you’re not already a researcher. Thank you!
This one has always made me scratch my head. I’ve been fat my whole life. By current thinking my knees and hips should be toast (I’m 63 y.o.) by now. But what joint did I get replaced due to osteoarthritis? My left shoulder. The right one is well on its way to replacement, too. Lots of weight bearing on those shoulders, guess I should’ve stopped walking on my hands decades ago. Thankfully, I have a great orthopedic surgeon who never hesitated to do surgery after the routine care didn’t help. Yes! I was actually given the same care as a thin person! Will wonders never cease.
Ragen:
Your research checked ALL the boxes for me - thank you. Am about to have my FOURTH joint
replacement, all due to arthritic bones (both hips & one shoulder, about to replace a knee). My
weight has gone, in my adult life, as high as 320 and low as 175(that lasted a whole day!), settled
at around 195-200. I've always been active - sport as a kid, working in musicals as a teen & adult,
LOTS of walking & stationary biking, and yet.....arthritis. Now, my orthopod (a wizard!) never
mentioned weight at all, just "Hey, let's take care of this & get you back out there", but others
have, and I DID wonder just how much effect my weight going up & down had on the joints.
Now I have answers, thanks to you. And yes, the links to the actual material WOULD be
appreciated.
I'm so glad this is a series because I forgot to go back and read part 1! Two things really resonate with me here. First, the weight-cycling. Thank you for explaining (across the body of your work in both advocacy and literature) how damaging this is to my body. I think I went on my first diet before the age of 10 and cannot count the total number I've endured and escaped from (bad grammar notwithstanding). My emotional health has certainly mimicked that cycling as I work through the "diet years" and it's been very helpful to be reminded that it's a thing i didn't imagine. Second, the analogy that an evidence-based and ethical solution to taller people's problems is NOT to make them shorter is such a stellar example that thwacked me with a giant A-HA right to my forehead!
Last week, I had a phone appt with my pain management P.A. She used some of the arguments that have been flung at me over the years ("it's not bone on bone if you can bend your knee" and the never-helpful "you'll feel like a new woman if you just lose 10% of your weight" BS). I am so grateful to you for helping arm me with the knowledge and resulting confidence to argue back!
Excellent blog series about the weight stigma around this condition. Thank you for providing the big picture. I look forward to Part 3!
Can you share the links to the science? Such as the NIH study? This is important info that should be shared widely, and it can be hard to find if you’re not already a researcher. Thank you!