flickr.com/photos/ markcraig/ 2468186411
There are identifiable risk factors which may predict who has worsening knee arthritis. If you are
- male,
- obese,
- feel worse pain in your knee (your opinion), or
- have worse looking knee xrays (my opinion)
your knee pain is more likely to get worse.
If you have many joints that hurt, misalignment of the knee or are sedentary you are less at risk for worsening knee pain than those with the risk factors above.
So, your doctor may
- take an xray to assess how the bones and joint look
- suggest exercise to help mobilize the knee and
- suggest weight loss (as those with body mass index over 30 have 1 ½ times the likelihood of worsening knee pain versus those at a healthy weight, meaning BMI less than 25).
Take home points: Lose weight and stay mobile!
Dr. Leslie Greenberg's Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.