Imagine being one of the millions of Americans in need of a hip or knee replacement due to osteoarthritis. Severe pain, reduced physical activity, an inability to perform many routine tasks – the symptoms can be truly debilitating.
But if you’re obese or overweight, there’s a good chance that your orthopedic surgeon will refuse to provide care. As one patient told the New York Times of her doctor, “He told me to come back when I had lost 30 pounds.”
kAm$96 :D?’E 2=@?6] p44@C5:?8 E@ @?6 DFCG6J[ 76H6C E92? 92=7 @7 @CE9@A65:4 DFC86@?D H:== @A6C2E6 @? A2E:6?ED H:E9 2 3@5J >2DD :?56I 23@G6 c_] !2E:6?ED H:E9 EJA6 a 5:236E6D[ 42C5:@G2D4F=2C 5:D62D6[ 2?5 9:89 3=@@5 AC6DDFC6 7246 D:>:=2C 32CC:6CD E@ E96 DFC86C:6D E96J ?665]k^Am
kAmp== @7 E96D6 4@?5:E:@?D D92C6 2 4@>>@? F?56C=J:?8 42FD6i 49C@?:4 DJDE6>:4 :?7=2>>2E:@?] xC@?:42==J[ E96 G6CJ :?7=2>>2E:@?\5C:G6? “>6E23@=:4” 4@?5:E:@? E92E 42? 86E D@>6@?6 E@ E96 A@:?E @7 ?665:?8 2 ;@:?E C6A=246>6?E 😕 E96 7:CDE A=246 42? 36 H92E 4@>A6=D E96:C 5@4E@C E@ C67FD6 E@ A6C7@C> @?6]k^Am
kAm%92?<7F==J[ D@>6 5@4E@CD 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 492?86 E96 DE2EFD BF@ 3J FD:?8 2? 2AAC@249 42==65 “=:76DEJ=6 >65:4:?6]” {:76DEJ=6 >65:4:?6 😀 2 >65:42= DA64:2=EJ E92E FD6D 6G:56?46\32D65 :?E6CG6?E:@?D 😕 A2E:6?E’D 3692G:@C2= 49@:46D E@ AC6G6?E[ EC62E[ 2?5 6G6? C6G6CD6 5:D62D6D 5C:G6? 3J 49C@?:4 DJDE6>:4 :?7=2>>2E:@?]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 C646?E A92C>246FE:42= :?E6CG6?E:@?D[ DF49 2D v{!\` >65:42E:@?D =:<6 (68@GJ 2?5 +6A3@F?5[ 42? 36 2? :>A@CE2?E E@@= 😕 >2?28:?8 >6E23@=:4 4@?5:E:@?D[ E96J 5@?’E AC@G:56 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 D@=FE:@?] %96D6 5CF8D 42? ;F>ADE2CE 2 A2E:6?E’D H6:89E =@DD ;@FC?6J[ 3FE H:E9@FE A6C>2?6?E 3692G:@C2= 492?86D[ A2E:6?ED H:== ?665 E@ DE2J @? E96 >65:42E:@? :?567:?:E6=J E@ >2:?E2:? H6:89E =@DD] {:76DEJ=6 >65:4:?6[ @? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 42? 96=A A2E:6?ED >2<6 DFDE2:?65 2?5 4@?D:DE6?E 3692G:@C2= 492?86D ?66565 E@ E24<=6 :?7=2>>2E:@?]k^Am
Heidi Prather, DO, is the attending physiatrist and medical director for Lifestyle Medicine Program, Hospital for Special Surgery.
