Being severely obese can make your joints ache and make it difficult for you to bend, lift, carry and even walk. A new study led by Pitt researchers looked at whether weight loss surgery can relieve your pain and restore your mobility.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh led a study of more than 2200 bariatric surgery patients from ten U.S. hospitals over a 4-year period. Patients filled out questionnaires about their pain and physical function before surgery and each year, for 3 years, afterwards. They also took a 400 meter walking test.
According to Dr. Anita P. Courcoulas, “there was 50 to 70 percent improvement in pain and physical function at the one year time point and then some continued improvements up to three years as well.”
And co-author Dr. Wendy C. King added, “and although there is deterioration of improvement in some patients from one to three years, The majority still by three years, are much better off than they were before surgery.”
The walking test showed that about a fourth of patients still had problems after surgery. But most who’d had severe pain and disability in their hips and knees, had improvements three years after surgery.
Dr. Courcoulas says, “this sends the message that bariatric surgical procedures may have a big impact on people’s ability to improve their physical function over time.”
Younger patients, those with fewer depressive symptoms and a higher income before surgery, were much more likely to report improvements in their pain and mobility levels after surgery.
