In 2002, there were almost 600,000 knee and hip replacement surgeries in the US (CDC Fast Facts). Factor in an increasingly older, and larger (obesity rates are positively blooming) population and it's not surprising that the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation forecasts a 60% rise in hip replacements alone over the next 30 years.If you're considering joint replacement surgery, you may want to work with your physician to get your blood sugar and blood pressure levels under control first. A study by Duke University researchers appearing in the latest issue of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research found that people with diabetes experience a 30% increase in complications after such surgery. The obese tackle a 45% higher complication rate. And that number climbs to 75% if you're both diabetic and obese.
For a summary of the study:
Obesity, Diabetes Raise Joint Replacement Risks
Photo thanks to Physical Therapy - Canada.
