For many people living with severe knee pain and obesity, life can feel like a cycle they can’t break. Excess weight places significant strain on the knee joints, often leading to osteoarthritis and joint degeneration. At the same time, the pain and stiffness in the knees make it harder to stay active and lose weight naturally. As a result, patients frequently look to knee replacement surgery as the solution for regaining mobility and reducing pain.
While knee replacement can be life-changing, it’s important to understand that higher body weight can increase the risks associated with this procedure. For patients with a high BMI, bariatric (weight loss) surgery before knee replacement is increasingly being recommended to reduce those risks and improve outcomes.
The Link Between Weight and Knee Health
Every extra pound of body weight places approximately four pounds of additional force on the knee joint during walking. Over years, this increased stress accelerates the wear and tear on cartilage, leading to pain, stiffness, and eventually osteoarthritis. Obesity also causes low-grade chronic inflammation throughout the body, which can further worsen joint pain and hinder healing.
This combination often results in earlier and more severe joint damage for patients with obesity, leaving many needing knee replacement surgery at a younger age than expected.
Challenges of Knee Replacement at a Higher BMI
Although knee replacement is a highly effective procedure for restoring mobility and relieving pain, it is more complex in patients with obesity. A higher BMI has been linked to increased risks during and after surgery, including infections, slower wound healing, and complications with anaesthesia.
Recovering from surgery can also be more challenging. Carrying extra weight places added pressure on the new joint, making rehabilitation and physiotherapy more difficult in the critical weeks and months after surgery. In addition, research has shown that implants in patients with a higher BMI tend to wear out faster, increasing the likelihood of needing a second, more complicated revision surgery later on.
How Bariatric Surgery Can Help
Bariatric surgery, such as a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, helps patients achieve significant and sustained weight loss, often within the first 12 to 18 months. This weight loss reduces the pressure on the knee joints, making it easier to move and reducing pain levels even before orthopaedic surgery is considered.
For patients planning knee replacement, weight loss surgery first can dramatically lower surgical risks, improve recovery, and extend the lifespan of the new knee implant. With less weight to carry, the post-surgery rehabilitation process becomes smoother and more effective. Patients can regain mobility more quickly and participate fully in physiotherapy, which is essential for long-term success.
Interestingly, some patients who undergo bariatric surgery find their knee pain improves so much after losing weight that they can delay or even avoid knee replacement surgery altogether.
What the Research Shows
Studies have shown that patients who have bariatric surgery before knee replacement tend to experience fewer complications and achieve better functional outcomes. In a large study published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, patients who lost weight before their knee replacement reported less pain and improved joint function compared to those who did not. They were also less likely to require follow-up revision surgeries.
This growing evidence supports the idea that tackling weight first doesn’t just prepare patients for knee surgery — it can transform their overall health and quality of life.
How Blackrock WeightCare Can Support You
At Blackrock WeightCare, we understand the complex relationship between obesity and joint health. Our team, led by Mr. William Robb, Ireland’s most experienced robotic bariatric surgeon, offers advanced weight loss surgery using state-of-the-art robotic technology for precision and safety.
We also provide a comprehensive two-year aftercare programme with dietitians, endocrinologists, and bariatric nurses to support you through your weight loss journey and beyond. For patients who may still require orthopaedic surgery, we work closely with other specialists to ensure your care is seamless and coordinated.
If you’re struggling with knee pain and considering your options, bariatric surgery could be the key to a safer and more successful knee replacement — or even to avoiding it altogether.
To learn more, call us on 01 255 2479 or reply to this email. Our team is here to guide you gently through the process and help you decide what’s best for your health and future.
Your Health. We Care.
